Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

[JD]

Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by JD » Jun 4th, '10, 03:20

I'm looking for a place that has the highest quality Tie Guan Yin. I've been getting mine from SpecialTeas, and it's an okay tea, but I prefer roasted TGY over their non-roasted kind. The leaves also seem a bit beat up. Sort of a "budget TGY", really, even though they say it's "Premium". Any online shops, in the US, that have great TGY's? Adagio's look good, but the customer ratings leave much to be desired. I was going to get some from Hou De, but it seems they're focused more on Pu-erh lately.

Any sites I should look at?

[debunix]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by debunix » Jun 4th, '10, 03:30

I'll look forward to other replies to this thread, because I have the same question. I can still enjoy the 'Sea Dyke' red tins of it that I used to drink almost exclusively, but have also been looking for a darker roast to match the quality of the greener TGY I get from Norbu.

I have just received a darker roasted TGY from Taiwan in my latest Norbu shipment, and I'll let you know what I think of it when I try it tomorrow.

[Proinsias]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Proinsias » Jun 4th, '10, 04:40

I've been enjoying both the Hou de '94 tgy and Jing tea shop's '03 tgy. They are more on the roasted side, but then they are also on the aged side which you might not be looking for.

[debunix]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by debunix » Jun 4th, '10, 04:50

I have had samples of a couple of aged oolongs, and their is a winey character that is quite distinct from the more earthy aging of puerh. For now I prefer my darker roast puerhs fresher, although I past evidence suggests I may eventually see the light on this and join the aged oolong aficionados.

[Proinsias]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Proinsias » Jun 4th, '10, 04:53

Adagio's look good, but the customer ratings leave much to be desired.

I'm sure I've heard a few people around here praising the Master's collection tgy
http://www.adagio.com/masters/fujian_ti ... c640c5d0d5

[debunix]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by debunix » Jun 4th, '10, 05:07

That looks like a lovely, but very green version of TGY.

[Proinsias]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Proinsias » Jun 4th, '10, 05:17

That looks like a lovely, but very green version of TGY.

Yeah, it is on the green side. Just mentioning it as the op said they were only put off by the reviews of the Adagio tgy, I'm presuming the standard one, which is also rather green.

It's in the round 3 OTTI atm, my gaiwan's all excited.

[brandon]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by brandon » Jun 4th, '10, 08:05

themandarinstearoom.com

Not just a plug - deadly serious.

JingTeaShop.com has some more every day grades of green in 100g sizes as well.

[AdamMY]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by AdamMY » Jun 4th, '10, 10:45

themandarinstearoom.com

Not just a plug - deadly serious.

JingTeaShop.com has some more every day grades of green in 100g sizes as well.

+1 on the Mandarins Tea Room for his Roasted TGY.

Other than that there is the Tea Gallery for their Classic Roast TGY.

and what I initially thought was good but haven't gone back to try it after trying the others. Just4tea has a decent traditional roasted TGY.

[Victoria]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Victoria » Jun 4th, '10, 11:33

Also, not my thing as it is very roasted, but Just4Tea's TGY has received rave reviews.

http://www.just4tea.com/Tie_Guan_Yin.php

Edit: Oops! I now see Adam posted that above. Well here's the link anyway.

[Tea_Rex]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Tea_Rex » Jun 4th, '10, 12:52

Muzha Tieguanyin from Floatings Leaves in Seattle. After my initial sample from them, I have ordered this tea 3 times. In fact, I have not had a bad tea from Floating Leaves.

[entropyembrace]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by entropyembrace » Jun 4th, '10, 15:33

Muzha Tieguanyin from Floatings Leaves in Seattle. After my initial sample from them, I have ordered this tea 3 times. In fact, I have not had a bad tea from Floating Leaves.

+1

it´s a wonderful example of roasted TGY from Taiwan ^_^

[JD]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by JD » Jun 4th, '10, 23:00

I should have clarified that I'd like to get the tea from a US store, and not wait a month to get tea from China. Also, I deffinately don't want to spend a small fortune on my TGY. I tend to drink it often, so I tend to buy it often, and dropping $50 a month on it is insane, especially when I have other teas I also buy, like Sencha and Matcha and Genmaicha, and each of those already cost me $20 a month.

That stuff from the Seattle shop looks really really dark, almost burnt. I may get that, though, since I live in Washington, and it's closeby. Is it rolled up into little balls before brewing?

I just ordered 3 small 25g samples of TGY's from Jas-ETea.com, their Grade A, Grade B, and Premium TGY's, along with a new fair cup for gongfu. I hope it's good stuff, 'cause it's pretty cheap.

[Mikael]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by Mikael » Jun 4th, '10, 23:06

I'm sure I've heard a few people around here praising the Master's collection tgy
http://www.adagio.com/masters/fujian_ti ... c640c5d0d5

Its a very high quality TGY (or TKY). I haven't even tried it until today when Victoria told me she liked it... and... it's probably my new favorite oolong (thanks Victoria! )

[JD]

Re: Where to get the best Tie Guan Yin

by JD » Jun 4th, '10, 23:12

Adagio's Masters Collection goes way over my budget. I'd like one in the under $30 range for 4oz or more.