Discovered by chance during a trip to Fujian, this was not the way we expected to offer our first Tieguanyin, but sometimes you have to go off script. In fact, it’s probably best to just throw away the expectations all together. This 2013 spring Tieguanyin has undergone multiple traditional charcoal roasts since, as well as controlled storage to encourage further oxidization, bringing it to its current state. The producer specifically paid attention to the processing and storage details to reach the desired results. Almost a decade later, this tea has transformed into what we can only really describe as tea wanting to be coffee. Or perhaps coffee trying to be tea? Either way you order it, this tea has a noticeable coffee-like aroma, milky mouthfeel and unique fragrance. Shou puer is typically cited as the most coffee-like tea, and recommended to coffee lovers trying to join the winning team. And while shou is not a bad place to start, we feel this Tieguanyin offers a dynamic experience that includes more roasted notes borrowed from coffee. $0.21/gram
