Tie Guan Yin is fairly old tea, it set it roots in Fujian 200 years ago and since then it has always been one of the most famous Chinese teas. However, this specific variety is fairly new, around 50 years old. Traditional Tie Guan Yin used to be roasted over charcoal for a long time and in some cases it would be stored for several years to bring nutty, smoky flavours. However, during this process, the tea has lost its refreshing feel. With development of technologies, like refrigeration and vacuum seal, we can now enjoy fresh or green Tie Guan Yin.
This tea has many different descriptions for its taste, but the most prominent one - flower fragrance. Being more specific, it should have an aroma of lilac.
Some people say, that when this tea is roasted, it has a masculine energy, but when it's fresh - it's very feminine. Well, maybe that has something to do with Guan Yin being represented as a male or female, depending on the time and region. Complex duality of the same concepts