2025 Lishan Mountain Light Roast Tie Guanyin - 25 grams

True High Mountain Tie Guan Yin is not something you come across every day. This one has a lot of the delicate floral qualities I love in a lightly roasted High Mountain Oolong, but with that distinct Tie Guan Yin bite that gives the tea a little more depth and character.

It’s a really interesting combination of the two styles, floral, light, and uplifting, but with enough bite to keep it interesting.

This is another one of those teas I grabbed a small amount of simply to experience, train my palate, and learn more about what is being produced in Taiwan. I really enjoyed it, so I wanted to share a little of it with others who are interested in exploring these teas along with me.

This tea truly shines when prepared in a gaiwan. I like to fill the gaiwan generously with leaves by feel, though 2–3 grams in a small to medium-sized gaiwan is a great place to start. Use water just off the boil, around 205°F (96°C), and steep the first infusion for about 45 seconds. Increase each subsequent infusion by 20–30 seconds, and you'll be rewarded with five or more flavorful steepings, each revealing a little more of the tea's character.

If you prefer brewing in a mug, use about 2 grams of tea in a strainer for an 8-ounce cup. Steep for about one minute, or longer if you enjoy a stronger brew, then simply re-steep the leaves several more times. While the experience won't be quite the same as Gong Fu brewing, you'll still enjoy a rich, satisfying cup with plenty of life left in the leaves.

If you're new to Gong Fu Cha, I've put together a free guide that walks you through the process of brewing tea in small pots over multiple infusions. You can download it here:

https://ojasnaturals.myshopify.com/products/gong-fu-tea-guide