TeaHQ

Tian Jian

The highest of the three traditional Anhua loose dark-tea grades, above Gong Jian and Sheng Jian. Unlike most hei cha it is sold loose in baskets rather than compressed, which makes it the easiest Anhua tea to brew.

Dark tea and pu-erhModerate intensityAccessible to appreciateForgiving to brew天尖
Brew at 98–100 °CUse 5–7 g per 100 mlFirst steep 8sGongfu brewing (gaiwan)Full schedule and equipment →

Character

Smoky and sweet, softer than compressed Anhua tea and far easier to portion.

Flavour
Smoky, Sweet, Woody
Aroma
Toasted
Mouthfeel
Full bodied, Smooth
Complexity
Moderate
Notes
pine smoke, dried longan, wood
Aftertaste
Sweet with a smoky edge.

Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.

Provenance and production

Origin
China
Region
Anhua
Oxidation
Not applicable
Post-fermentation
Microbial wet piling
Harvest
Spring
Processing
Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Wet piling (wo dui) → Basket ageing

Brewing

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.

  • Qian Liang Cha

    Loose Anhua tea, then the same tradition compressed into a thirty-six kilogram log. The bamboo wrapping becomes part of the flavour.

  • Anhua dark tea

    Tian Jian is the top loose grade within the Anhua category, sold in baskets rather than compressed. It is the easiest Anhua tea to portion.

Similar sensory profile

Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.

  • Fu Zhuan

    Shares 5 descriptors with Tian Jian: sweet, woody, smooth, full bodied and toasted.

  • Huoshan Huang Da Cha

    Shares 5 descriptors with Tian Jian: sweet, woody, full bodied, smooth and toasted.

  • Nong Xiang Tie Guan Yin (roasted)

    Shares 5 descriptors with Tian Jian: sweet, woody, full bodied, smooth and toasted.

  • Smoked Lapsang Souchong

    Shares 5 descriptors with Tian Jian: smoky, woody, full bodied, smooth and toasted.

  • Aged Baozhong

    Shares 4 descriptors with Tian Jian: sweet, woody, full bodied and smooth.

  • Aged Gong Mei

    Shares 4 descriptors with Tian Jian: sweet, woody, full bodied and smooth.

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