Anxi County, about 60 kilometres northwest of Quanzhou, is the home of Tieguanyin oolong, one of the most celebrated teas in China and the primary product that Quanzhou merchants sold along the maritime trade routes. Tea from Anxi is sold in shops throughout Quanzhou city, but visiting the county gives a more direct experience: you can see the tiered plantations on the mountain slopes, visit working tea farms during the April and October harvests, and taste from producers who have been growing the same varieties for generations.
The Anxi Tea Museum in the county town explains the history and cultivation of the tea with reasonable detail, and many farms offer free tastings in hopes of making a sale. The quality variation is considerable — the best Tieguanyin from famous gardens is among the finest oolong produced anywhere, while the cheaper commodity versions at the bottom of the market bear little resemblance to it. Bring enough time to taste carefully and pay for the good tea: it travels well and makes a significant gift.