TeaHQ

Tie Luo Han

One of the four famous Wuyi bushes, and by most accounts the oldest of them. It is the darkest and most mineral of the four, with a heavy roasted character and a distinctly medicinal, herb-like note that separates it from the sweeter Rou Gui and the creamier Shui Xian.

OolongBold intensityDemanding to appreciate鐵羅漢
Brew at 98–100 °CUse 5–7 g per 100 mlFirst steep 10sGongfu brewing (gaiwan)Full schedule and equipment →

Character

Heavy and medicinal-sweet, with the strongest mineral signature of the four famous bushes. Not a first rock tea, and the one most rewarded by a year of rest after roasting.

Flavour
Roasted, Mineral, Woody, Earthy
Aroma
Caramelised, Toasted
Mouthfeel
Full bodied, Rich
Complexity
Layered
Notes
charcoal, dried herbs, wet stone, dark caramel
Aftertaste
Deep, mineral and long, with a herbal edge.

Bold intensity: full-bodied, astringent or bitter enough to lead the cup.

Provenance and production

Origin
China
Region
Wuyi Mountains
Oxidation
Partially oxidised
Roast
Heavy
Harvest
Spring
Processing
Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting

History

One of the four famous Wuyi varietals, and by several accounts the oldest of them — records of the name predate Da Hong Pao’s. Its reputation was overtaken in the twentieth century by Da Hong Pao’s marketing, which is a recurring pattern among the four.

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.

  • Shui Jin Gui

    Two of the four famous Wuyi rock varietals, both heavily roasted and mineral. Distinguishing them blind is difficult even for experienced drinkers, and the names carry more weight than the differences.

Similar sensory profile

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

  • Da Hong Pao

    Shares 7 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: roasted, mineral, woody, full bodied, rich, caramelised and toasted.

  • Lao Cong Shui Xian

    Shares 7 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: mineral, woody, roasted, full bodied, rich, toasted and caramelised.

  • Wuyi rock tea (yancha)

    Shares 7 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: roasted, mineral, woody, full bodied, rich, caramelised and toasted.

  • Zheng Yan yancha

    Shares 7 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: mineral, roasted, woody, full bodied, rich, toasted and caramelised.

  • Ba Xian

    Shares 6 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: roasted, woody, full bodied, rich, toasted and caramelised.

  • Nong Xiang Tie Guan Yin (roasted)

    Shares 6 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: roasted, woody, full bodied, rich, caramelised and toasted.

  • Aged Liu Bao

    Shares 5 descriptors with Tie Luo Han: woody, earthy, full bodied, rich and caramelised.

Compare this tea with another

Written comparisons

Where TeaHQ has set this tea against another in full, rather than deriving the comparison.