EN
Tie Luo Han ("Iron Arhat") is one of the oldest rock oolongs in China, a high-quality, strongly fermented tea. It grows in the north of Fujian Province, in the Wuyi area, among cliffs, rocks and deep hollows. The name refers to the arhats, figures of the Buddhist pantheon who attained the highest spiritual development.
The tea is grown on terraces in crevices and hollows of the rocks, in "pot" gardens. The leaf for Tie Luo Han is picked from bushes of the cultivar of the same name on the Huiyuan cliff, in the Inner Ghost Cave, where a stream supplies the bushes with moisture. According to one legend, the monk Ji Hui of the Huiyuan monastery devoted his whole life to growing tea.
Characteristics
- Type: strongly fermented oolong, rock tea
- Region: Wuyi, Fujian Province, China
- Cliff: Huiyuan, Inner Ghost Cave
- Form: loose leaf
- Flavor: full-bodied, mineral, roasted
Aroma and Taste
Dry leaf: a warm aroma of roast, wood and minerals.
Liquor: a full, deep, mineral taste typical of rock oolongs.
Aftertaste: long and warming, with a mineral tint.
Why You'll Love It
Tie Luo Han is loved for its character and maturity: it is a serious tea for thoughtful sessions. It is good in the evening and in cold weather, warming and setting an unhurried mood. All tea ware should be thoroughly warmed with boiling water, and the tea is best brewed in a gaiwan or Yixing teapot.
How to Brew
Gongfu brewing (short infusions, gaiwan or Yixing teapot):
- 100–120 ml gaiwan or Yixing teapot: 7 g of tea
- Water at 90–95 °C; warm up the vessel and rinse the leaf quickly
- Infusions of 5–10 s, then add 5 s each time
- The tea holds up for 7–9 infusions
Western-style brewing (teapot or thermal tumbler):
- 3 g of tea per 200 ml of water
- Temperature 90–95 °C
- Steep for 3–5 min
- The leaf can be re-steeped 2–3 times
Storage
Store in tightly closed packaging in a cool, dry place, away from direct light and foreign odors.
