Tea: Golden Goddess (Jin Guanyin - 金观音)
Type: Charcoal Roasted Wuyi Rock Oolong
Harvest: Spring 2022
Roast Type: Medium
Region: Yanzi Valley, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, China
Producers: Master Fang
Tasting Notes: Vanilla, Cinnamon Rolls, Rose Petals, Sweet Grass, Baked Artichoke
The Golden Goddess, or Jin Guanyin, is a varietal of oolong used both in the Wuyi mountains and in the Anxi Tieguanyin production area. Thus, this tea has some interesting similarities with traditionally charcoal roasted Tieguanyin balled oolongs. For those curious about how this tea tastes when produced as a traditional tieguanyin, hop over to the
Meihouwang balled Anxi oolong we offer, as it is made with the same tea cultivar!
The aroma off the dry leaves is one of warm vanilla cream and redolent of freshly iced cinnamon rolls. Once brewed, the wet leaves give off a much more vegetal aroma of sweetgrass, roses, and honeysuckle. The brew is a rich amber, though the roast is still relatively light for Wuyi Rock Oolongs.
The taste of the tea on the tongue is richly mineral, bright with floral flavors unmuted by the roast, with a peasant astringency on the sides of the tongue and delivers a deep huigan at the back of the throat. The lightness of roast comes through after a few steeps, providing the vegetal flavors of baked artichoke, buttered potatoes, and rose petals.
