How to distinguish between Tieguanyin, Jin Guicui, Ben Shan, Mao Xie, Mei Zhan, and Daye Wulong tea leaves

Oolong tea has a wide variety of types, and the tea-making skills are delicate. The fragrance types are manifested as follows:

① Coconut fragrance type, rich fragrance type: such as Tieguanyin, Foshou Benshan, etc.

② Light fragrance type: Huangjinguì, Qilan, Bai Mudan, Shuixian, etc.

③ Faint fragrance type: Dahong, some peculiar varieties.

④ Green fragrance type: Maocha, tea leek, etc.

⑤ Spicy fragrance type: Meizhan, Zoumian Ji, Rougui, etc.

⑥ Scorched fragrance type: Daye Wulong and Ruanji Wulong, etc.

Six Famous Teas of Anxi

1. Tieguanyin: Its leaf base features are thick, soft, shiny, with wavy leaves, most of the leaves curling towards the back, wide petioles, commonly known as brown leaf stalks, with sparse and blunt sawteeth on the leaf edges, prominent main veins, and indistinct fine veins.

2. Huangjinguì: Appearance - slender and slightly loose strips, light in weight, thin leaf stalks, color is yellowish-brown, emerald yellow or yellow-green, with luster.

Inner Quality - Golden bright or pale yellow clear tea soup. Extremely high aroma, elegant and fragrant, often with a mixed scent of osmanthus, gardenia, and pear flowers. The taste is mellow, fresh, refreshing, with a sweet aftertaste, invigorating to the spirit, traditionally described as having a unique fragrance and freshness.

Leaf Base - Yellow-green, with slightly protruding tips, long round shape, prominent main vein, relatively thin leaves, and shallow sawteeth on the leaf edges.

3. Benshan: Appearance - fairly stout and tightly knotted strips, relatively heavy, red and shiny leaf stalks, thin and neat, larger tails, obvious bamboo joints, dark lustrous color resembling ripe banana peel, with the characteristics of green stems, green belly, and red spots.

Inner Quality - Orange-yellow or pale yellow tea soup, pure and slightly thick taste, similar but lighter fragrance compared to Tieguanyin.

Leaf Base - Yellow-green, pointed and thin tail, long round shape, raised leaf surface, slightly finer and more prominent white main vein.

4. Maoxie: Appearance - tightly knotted tea strips, round stalks, large heads and sharp tails, tender buds and leaves, many white downy hairs, commonly known as "white heart tail", brown-yellow color, fairly fresh and glossy, sand green but not very distinct.

Inner Quality - Pale yellow or orange-yellow tea soup, pure and slightly thick taste, high and clear aroma, slightly carrying jasmine fragrance, called "clear flower flavor".

Leaf Base - Small and round leaves, wider in the middle, pointed at both ends, elliptical in shape. Deep, dense, sharp sawteeth on the leaf edges, downward hooking like a parrot's beak, thinner leaves, slightly prominent main vein.

5. Meizhan: Stout and long tea strips, thick stalks, long internodes, brown-green color slightly tinged with dark red, distinct red spots.

Tea soup deep yellow or orange-yellow, coarse and long leaves tapering to a point, prominent main veins, rough and sharp sawteeth. Thick and strong aroma, with thread-like incense fragrance.

6. Wulong: Slender tea strips, pointed heads and tails, light in weight, short and small buds, dull stalk skin, brown color, less fresh and glossy.

Tea soup light yellow, pale yellow or orange-yellow, thin leaves at the bottom, prominent veins; coarser and blunter sawteeth. Pure and slightly thin taste, with caramel aroma.

For more information, please log on to Zhentian Pavilion (www.kwanyintea.com).