Iron Goddess of Mercy, also known as Tie Guanyin, is said to have been discovered by a poor but pious elder farmer named Wei, who lived in a place called Anxi in Fujian. Every week, Wei would hike up a long trail to tidy up the dilapidated village temple. One night, the merciful bodhisattva Guanyin visited Wei in his dream, urging him to check behind the temple for a gift in honor of his dedication. The next day, Wei visited the temple and found a tea tree growing behind it. He cultivated and brewed it, taking note of its beautiful fragrance. Wei then shared the seeds with friends, and to this day, the Tie Guanyin cultivar is said to trace its legendary lineage back to that very tree.

While most Tie Guanyin is still produced in Anxi County, we source ours from Mingjian Village in Taiwan, where we work with an award-winning fourth-generation teamaker named Mr. Hsieh, who produces oolong in the traditional manner, departing from the lighter, more floral roasted styles typically found in mainland China.

Just twice a year, in spring and in winter, our Iron Goddess of Mercy is made for us in small batches using Wuyi and Qingxin cultivars, which undergo medium oxidation and moderate roasting in wooden baskets over radiant heat. This time-intensive process creates a smooth, toasty taste with hints of buckwheat, dried apricot and warm caramel.

Comforting and sessionable, this is the kind of tea that relaxes and sharpens the mind in equal measure.