Mao Xie
An Anxi oolong named for the fine hairs along its leaf edge. High-yielding and vigorous, it gives a grassier and sharper cup than its neighbours and is the third of the Anxi trio a buyer is most likely to meet without being told.
Character
Grassier and more astringent than Tie Guan Yin, and less forgiving of a long steep — the cultivar sets that ceiling, not the maker.
- Flavour
- Floral, Grassy
- Aroma
- Fresh, Orchid
- Mouthfeel
- Medium, Drying
- Complexity
- Straightforward
- Notes
- green grass, gardenia, fresh herb
- Aftertaste
- Sharp and clean, drying slightly.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- China
- Region
- Anxi
- Cultivar
- Mao Xie
- Oxidation
- Lightly oxidised
- Harvest
- Spring
- Processing
- Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Oxidation → Kill-green (fixation) → Cloth-ball rolling → Drying
Brewing
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
5–7 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 6 authored infusions
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 2 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Anxi Huang Jin Gui
Both Anxi teas outside the Tie Guan Yin spotlight. Mao Xie is sharper and less forgiving, which is cultivar rather than a fault in the making.
- Mao Xie
The same Anxi cultivar recorded under two naming conventions, which is exactly the duplication the catalogue tries to avoid — kept as separate records only because sellers use both.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Cui Yu
Shares 5 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, grassy, medium, orchid and fresh.
- Assam first flush
Shares 4 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, medium, drying and fresh.
- Dimbula
Shares 4 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, medium, drying and fresh.
- Earl Grey
Shares 4 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, medium, drying and fresh.
- Gou Gu Nao
Shares 4 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, grassy, orchid and fresh.
- Kenyan orthodox black tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Mao Xie: floral, medium, drying and fresh.