Ocean of Tea – Ti Kuan Yin

This Chinese Ti Kuan Yin (also spelled Tieguanyin) oolong tea from Ocean of Tea is named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin.

I decided to try the sample of oolong first, since it’s less familiar to me than Earl Grey.

This is a lighter oolong – very smooth with a hint of floral.  I decided that this is my favorite oolong of those I’ve tasted thus far.  I wondered about the method used to fire this tea, perhaps electric ovens account for the less smoky taste.

The second infusion also made a delicious cup of tea.  The package states that you can get 3-4 good infusions from the same leaves.

I’m also looking forward to tasting my sample of Ocean of Tea Earl Grey Premium.

I thought the legend of how this tea came to be is quite entertaining:

Wei legend (from Wikipedia)

“Deep in the heart of Fujian's Anxi County, there was a rundown temple which held an iron statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. Every day on the walk to his tea fields, a poor farmer named Mr. Wei would pass by and reflect on the temple's worsening condition. “Something has to be done,” thought Mr. Wei.

Being poor, he did not have the means to repair the temple. Instead, the farmer brought a broom and some incense from his home. He swept the temple clean and lit the incense as an offering to Guanyin. "It's the least I can do," he thought to himself. Twice a month for many months, he repeated the same tasks.

One night, Guanyin appeared to him in a dream. Guanyin told him of a cave behind the temple where treasure awaited. He was to take the treasure and share it with others. In the cave, the farmer found a single tea shoot. He planted it in his field and nurtured it into a large bush, from which the finest tea was produced. He gave cuttings of this rare plant to all his neighbors and began selling the tea under the name Tieguanyin, Iron Bodhisattva of Compassion.

Over time, Mr. Wei and all his neighbors prospered; the rundown temple of Guanyin was repaired and became a beacon for the region. Mr. Wei took joy in the daily trip to his tea fields, never failing to stop in appreciation of the beautiful temple.”