Written by guest blogger Annika Knekt-Ahtinen
Annika’s interest in tea started over 30 years ago. First, as a hobby, she attended during the last 15 years various tea-related courses in Finland and other parts of Europe. For the past 5 years, she organises tea tastings and tea presentations for tea enthusiasts, organisations and companies in Finland.
In 2019, Annika was certified as a tea sommelier by the International Tea Academy in Yunnan, China. Annika wants to share her tea knowledge and to show the Finns how good a cup of tea can taste.
For 365 Days/Teas Challenge Annika chose OO-LORD! Oolong tea. OO-LORD! is a semi-oxidized “Iron Goddess of Mercy” (Tieguanyin, 铁观音) oolong tea from Fujian Province. This tea type is one of the ten most famous teas in China with half ball-shaped rolled leaves. Today is a misty and grey day in Finland and I decided to take a walk in the forest. Along with me, I took this oolong Oo-Lord! Tea. Usually, at this time of the year we have snow here in Finland, but not this year.
Oo-Lord! is an easy tea to drink any time of the day because of its low caffeine content. This tea offers you good tea energy and has a rich, fragrant character. According to the legend, a peasant in Anxi County of Fujian Province discovered the first bush of this tea when it was shown to him by the Iron Goddess of Mercy, as a sign of gratitude for taking care of her abandoned temple in the region.
Tea Profile:
Type: Oolong
Origin: Anxi, Fujian Province
Harvest time: 2019
Leave colour: Light green
Liquor colour: Clear light yellow
Tea aroma: Floral
Tea taste: Sweet with jasmine, honey and mango notes
Steeping/brewing: You can use around 85°C water temperature and brew for up to one minute in gongfu style or up to three minutes in Western-style. You can brew the leaves many times (until the taste is lost). To each infusion add additional time. Experiment for a result that suits your taste.
Shelf life: Up to 1 year (the freshest the better)