Gold Guanyin

Notes of osmanthus, dried lemon, and honeysuckle.

White tea from Fujian, China・April 2022・金觀音・Organic

Gold Guanyin, or jin guanyin, is a hybrid cultivar originally developed in Fujian’s Anxi province, created from grafted branches of huang jin gui on existing tieguanyin plants. The hybrid is meant to combine the gardenia and cream notes of tieguanyin with the fruit-like osmanthus notes of huang jin gui.

Although originally intended for lighter oolongs, we had this cultivar made into a white tea, allowing the leaves to gently wither for 30 hours. Slow dehydration draws forth a round sweetness that is accentuated by the cultivar's innate floral qualities.

This 2022 harvest adds complexity and depth from an unintended, but very  welcomed, pre-oxidation of the fresh leaves as they were transported from the field. The result is a tea with richer and more complex aromatics than last year's batch, with distinct oolong aromatics of citrus, ramps, and honeysuckle.

Brew: 4 grams・150 ml・205° F・1 min

We suggest similar brew parameters for all white teas, using water that ranges between 195 - 208F, with a starting steep time of 1 minute. Extend steep time for larger volumes. A shorter steep time at lower temperatures produces a very bright and floral tea. Longer steep times and higher temperatures increases complexity and finish.