Ti Kuan Yin Oolong Tea

A celebrated Chinese oolong with elegant orchid-like florals, fresh vegetal notes, and beautifully rolled leaves that reveal their character across multiple infusions.

The Experience

Ti Kuan Yin is a tea that rewards patience.

Its tightly rolled leaves may appear small at first, but with hot water they gradually loosen and expand into remarkably large leaves. With each infusion, the tea reveals another layer of its character—fresh vegetal notes, graceful florals, and an elegant orchid-like aroma that evolves as the leaves continue to open.

Also written as Tieguanyin, Ti Kuan Yin is one of China's most celebrated oolong teas and is famously associated with Anxi County in Fujian Province. Its poetic name is commonly translated as “Iron Goddess of Mercy,” a reference to Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion.

Creating this style of oolong requires considerable craftsmanship. The leaves traditionally undergo a series of steps that can include withering, bruising, partial oxidation, rolling, and roasting. This partial oxidation places oolong between the fresh character associated with green tea and the deeper oxidation of black tea, creating extraordinary room for aroma, texture, and complexity.

Ti Kuan Yin is particularly rewarding when steeped more than once. As the tightly rolled leaves unfurl, both their appearance and flavor evolve—making the brewing ritual an essential part of experiencing the tea.

Tasting Notes

Top: Orchid-like florals
Mid: Fresh greens • Gentle vegetal notes
Finish: Smooth • Clean • Lingering floral character
Body: Medium

Why You'll Love It

• One of China's most celebrated traditional oolong teas
• Beautiful orchid-like aroma with fresh vegetal character
• Tightly rolled leaves dramatically unfurl during brewing
• Excellent for multiple successive infusions
• A wonderful introduction to traditional Chinese oolong
• Particularly well suited to gongfu-style brewing

Origin & Ingredients

Origin: China
Tea Type: Oolong Tea
Style: Rolled Oolong
Ingredients: Oolong tea
Caffeine: Yes

How to Brew

Western Style

• 1 heaping teaspoon loose leaf
• 195–205°F water
• Steep 2–4 minutes
• Re-steep several times, increasing the infusion time slightly with each steep

Gongfu Style

Use a small gaiwan or teapot with proportionally more leaf and make a series of short infusions. Watch how the leaves open and notice how the aroma, texture, and flavor change from one infusion to the next.

Perfect For

Slow mornings, gongfu tea sessions, sharing tea with friends, or anyone interested in exploring the craftsmanship and evolving character of traditional Chinese oolong.

Tea Prepared with Care

Ti Kuan Yin offers a natural introduction to gongfu cha (功夫茶)—preparing tea with skill, effort, and care.

Instead of brewing one large pot, gongfu preparation uses a smaller vessel, more leaves, and a succession of shorter infusions. The same leaves are steeped repeatedly, allowing you to experience how the tea changes.

Smell the warmed leaves. Watch the tightly rolled tea begin to open. Notice the first infusion, then compare it with the second and third.

The small vessels and repeated infusions also make gongfu tea inherently social. The brewer remains present, tending the leaves and refilling small cups as conversation continues.

In that sense, preparing tea becomes more than making a beverage. It becomes an act of hospitality—making time and room for another person at the tea table.

Packaging: Our loose teas are sold by the ounce and packaged in food-grade resealable bags.

Explore Our Heritage Oolong Collection

Discover celebrated oolong traditions shaped by distinctive terroir, generations of craftsmanship, and remarkably different approaches to oxidation, rolling, and roasting.

Ti Kuan Yin Oolong Tea (This Tea)
Orchid-like florals • Fresh greens • Smooth finish
→ Best for: exploring a classic rolled Chinese oolong through multiple infusions

Wuyi Shan Rock Oolong Tea
Mineral • Roasted • Deep and complex
→ Best for: experiencing the distinctive character of China's celebrated Wuyi rock teas

Alishan High Mountain Oolong Tea
Pear • Orchid • Buttery smoothness
→ Best for: discovering the elegance of Taiwanese high-mountain oolong

Jin Xuan First Flush Oolong Tea
Creamy • Floral • Silky
→ Best for: lovers of naturally creamy Taiwanese oolong

First Flush Alishan Chin Shin (Fragrant) Oolong Tea
Fragrant florals • Delicate fruit • Fresh finish
→ Best for: experiencing a lighter, highly aromatic expression of Alishan