High Fire Hong Kong Tieluohan
This tea comes to Nannuoshan from Cheung Hing Tea Hong (祥興茶行), one of the most storied tea vendors in Hong Kong. They opened in 1932 and have been supplying the local populace with tea—and coffee in recent years—ever since. The blending and roasting for this Tieluohan and all of their other offerings is done in-house at their store, which greets customers with a wonderfully warm and roasty fragrance when they step in. In many ways, this shop is as old-school as they come, from individual portions of tea being wrapped in two layers of paper, which is appreciated by practitioners of Chaozhou-style Gongfu Cha in particular, to weighing and selling tea at the shop in the traditional measurements of tael (37.7 grams) and catty (605 grams). Due to diversification in their product line, they have however switched from charcoal roasting to using electrical ovens, but make no mistake: this Tieluohan tastes exactly like what one would expect from a traditional Hong Kong-style Yan Cha. It’s this classic taste that drew me to them and made me want to bring their tea to Nannuoshan.
From the moment of disrobing its paper garments, this Tieluohan is deep, dark, roasty, and comforting. A perfect bundle of blackened leaves presents itself to the drinker, eager to imbue hot water with their exquisite fragrance. Slightly sweet and strongly roasted like dark chocolate, but still retaining the mineral quality that so often makes Yan Cha stand in a class of its own. Once boiling water mingles with these leaves, they exude calming plumes of a warm, fragrant, and ligneous scent reminiscent of sandalwood. These fragrances come together in a dark and weighty liquor that feels smooth and round in the mouth. It’s not all roast all the time though, as a soft floral note and a minty finish in the throat cut through the richness to provide balance. A slight acidity from the roast is expected to settle and vanish as you enjoy this tea over a prolonged period of time.
A comfortable but complex tea, steeped in Hong Kong tradition. Drink this when you want to enjoy yourself.
Written by Sigi
- ORIGIN: Wuyishan, Nanping, Fujian, China
- MEANING: Iron Arhat (tie luo han)
- CULTIVAR: Tie Luo Han
- HARVEST TIME: 2025
- ROASTING: Long Hong Kong-style roasting, done in early 2025
- TASTE: Sandalwood, toasted walnut, dark chocolate
- Quantity: 6g / 500ml
- Water temperature: 90°C
- Infusion time: 5 min
- Quantity: 3g / 100ml
- Water temperature: 90°C
- 4 infusions: 45, 60, 60, 90 sec
For best results in gongfu cha, brew in the traditional gaiwan or in a Yixing teapot. Too high water temperature would burn the leaves, resulting in bitter taste.
Additional Information
Authentic Wuyi Yan Cha is produced in the Wuyi Mount region, a UNESCO natural heritage site. The dramatic gorges of the Nine Bend River are surrounded by a largely intact subtropical forest and smooth cliffs of black-brownish rocks. The tea plants grow in narrow valleys, next to the cliffs, in a mineral-rich soil.
Today Wuyi Yan Cha is one of the most valued teas in China. Because it has become a status symbol, many wealthy Chinese are willing to pay a fortune for it without even knowing how a proper Wuyi Yan Cha should taste. The result has been prices inflating to unjustified level and quality often sacrificed for quantity.
Unique to the Wuyi Yan Cha is a mineral savor coming from the soil and the surrounding cliffs. Being the oolong with the highest fire finish, fresh Yan Cha may as a result be strong and pungent. Sharpness and too-prominent astringency subside upon ageing. Premium high-fire Yan Cha tastes better after a few years of storage. Use a Yixing teapot to soften the tea, should it be too astringent for your palate.
The overall tasting profile is rich, complex, and deep. Depending on cultivar and environment, the mineral-roasted flavor is refined by floral, fruity, nutty or woody accents.