Feb 24
Ti Kwan Yin (or Guanyin, depending how tealitist one's pinyin is) is a high-quality oolong (wulong, whatever) often originating from Anxi Province, China. Named for the Bodhisattva of Compassion - Guanyin - it is a greener-style oolong that undergoes a meticulous preparation cycle, and is known for its complex floral notes. Tanqueray London Dry Gin first appeared on the market in 1830, made from a base of angelica root, juniper berries and coriander. The actual recipe, however, is a closely guarded secret only known by three distilleries. What do these two drinks have in common? Absolutely nothing. Well...not until recently.
I received a message from Kim DeMent at Smith Teamaker informing me that Tony Tellin - one of their lead blenders - had concocted a gin-infused Ti Kwan Yin experiment. Where some would arch an eyebrow at the prospect, I furrowed mine in fancy. Tony had already successfully meshed whiskey with a Nuwara Eliya Ceylon over the holiday season. It was not in the realm of impossibility that oolong and gin could fuse poetically. I made the jaunt out the next day.
Tony kindly came out and set out a quasi-gongfu prep for the "leaforites" of Ti Kwan Yin. He also explained that - unlike with the whiskey Ceylon - the oolong leaves were literally infused in gin; not just scented, and it showed. The aroma of the dry leaves were distinctly oolong on first impression - smoky, wildernessy, floral - but there was an added tang to the scent that begged for a question mark. Appearance-wise, they were also darker in color than the usual green-brown of naked/untouched Kwan Yin. He steeped the leaves three-to-four times, each for about forty seconds to a minute (I think?). The results were thus:
First infusion: Typical Ti Kwan Yin foretaste - toasty, roasty, flowery - but it quickly transitioned to a woody, berryish middle. The aftertaste (which I usually hate on some roasted oolongs) was thankfully mild, retaining the berry note.
Second infusion: Pretty much echoed the first. Much stronger on the gin contribution, almost grape-y. Aftertaste was only a tad stronger.
Third infusion: I actually had to sip two helpings of it. The first cup was overpoweringly Kwan Yin-ish in its - as Tony called it - "graphite" note on the finish. However, as we plowed away at the gaiwan, the berry and juniper dual presence still stood steadfast against the tea tide.
Conclusion? For me it was a favorable (and flavorful) experience. I tend to be pickier with oolongs than I am with, say, Darjeeling blacks or Chinese whites. However, this retained all the positives of a Ti Kwan Yin and possessed a strong presence from the liquor infusion. Tony lamented that it still needed work to achieve more of a juniper "top note", but I thought that still having an oolong foretaste gave it a good hybrid character. Before I left, he casually mentioned that other experiments were in the works. I more-than-implied that I would be a happy guinea pig for those as well.
I received a message from Kim DeMent at Smith Teamaker informing me that Tony Tellin - one of their lead blenders - had concocted a gin-infused Ti Kwan Yin experiment. Where some would arch an eyebrow at the prospect, I furrowed mine in fancy. Tony had already successfully meshed whiskey with a Nuwara Eliya Ceylon over the holiday season. It was not in the realm of impossibility that oolong and gin could fuse poetically. I made the jaunt out the next day.
Tony kindly came out and set out a quasi-gongfu prep for the "leaforites" of Ti Kwan Yin. He also explained that - unlike with the whiskey Ceylon - the oolong leaves were literally infused in gin; not just scented, and it showed. The aroma of the dry leaves were distinctly oolong on first impression - smoky, wildernessy, floral - but there was an added tang to the scent that begged for a question mark. Appearance-wise, they were also darker in color than the usual green-brown of naked/untouched Kwan Yin. He steeped the leaves three-to-four times, each for about forty seconds to a minute (I think?). The results were thus:
First infusion: Typical Ti Kwan Yin foretaste - toasty, roasty, flowery - but it quickly transitioned to a woody, berryish middle. The aftertaste (which I usually hate on some roasted oolongs) was thankfully mild, retaining the berry note.
Second infusion: Pretty much echoed the first. Much stronger on the gin contribution, almost grape-y. Aftertaste was only a tad stronger.
Third infusion: I actually had to sip two helpings of it. The first cup was overpoweringly Kwan Yin-ish in its - as Tony called it - "graphite" note on the finish. However, as we plowed away at the gaiwan, the berry and juniper dual presence still stood steadfast against the tea tide.
Conclusion? For me it was a favorable (and flavorful) experience. I tend to be pickier with oolongs than I am with, say, Darjeeling blacks or Chinese whites. However, this retained all the positives of a Ti Kwan Yin and possessed a strong presence from the liquor infusion. Tony lamented that it still needed work to achieve more of a juniper "top note", but I thought that still having an oolong foretaste gave it a good hybrid character. Before I left, he casually mentioned that other experiments were in the works. I more-than-implied that I would be a happy guinea pig for those as well.
 |
Geoff Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Geoff's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Geoff. |
February 24th, 2011 at 12:35 pm
You lucky dog! That’s sounds incredible.
February 24th, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I can’t deny it wasn’t awesome.
May 4th, 2011 at 7:00 pm
[...] in Tanqueray gin for an extended period of time, then re-dried. (My impression of that can be found HERE.) I loved the stuff and found that the natural floral/mineral foretaste complimented the [...]