I was recently doing a bit of research on Dark-roasted TGY and discovered the following information that I thought the group might find interesting:
From what I have been able to ascertain from my source in China, here is how the dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin come into being. In the past, the degree of oxidation for Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea was similar to Wuyi rock tea, which means the color of Tie Guan Yin was dark brown, and was about 40-60% oxidized, not the current about 5-10% oxidation of the shiny green TGY. In the past, the traditional Tie Guan Yin focus was on the tea taste and sweetness. Today the lightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin focus is on its orchid fragrance. Probably in mid of 1990s, the slightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin came into being and then became popularized by the tea consumers. So gradually, the traditional Tie Guan Yin was off the market and the technique for creating the tea began to disappear except for some old tea farmers who knew how to make the traditional Tie Guan Yin.
So currently in the market, the so-called dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin is not usually the traditional Tie Guan Yin. In fact, these teas are the slightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin from several years ago, which were not able to be sold out by tea farmers. But still, in the population, there are some old tea drinkers that pursue the traditional Tie Guan Yin. Hence, the tea merchants bought this remaining slightly-oxidized Tie Guan Yin and re-baked them again which made the tea look like the traditional dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin and sold this tea at high price to make quick money. That is how most of the dark-roasted oolong tea on the market today came to exist. Now, a lot of consumers have become fond of the re-baked Tie Guan Yin but are unfamiliar with the actual origin of the tea.
However, if you know the right people (like the farmers that grow and harvest the tea), you can still get the traditionally dark-roasted TGY.
From what I have been able to ascertain from my source in China, here is how the dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin come into being. In the past, the degree of oxidation for Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea was similar to Wuyi rock tea, which means the color of Tie Guan Yin was dark brown, and was about 40-60% oxidized, not the current about 5-10% oxidation of the shiny green TGY. In the past, the traditional Tie Guan Yin focus was on the tea taste and sweetness. Today the lightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin focus is on its orchid fragrance. Probably in mid of 1990s, the slightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin came into being and then became popularized by the tea consumers. So gradually, the traditional Tie Guan Yin was off the market and the technique for creating the tea began to disappear except for some old tea farmers who knew how to make the traditional Tie Guan Yin.
So currently in the market, the so-called dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin is not usually the traditional Tie Guan Yin. In fact, these teas are the slightly-fermented Tie Guan Yin from several years ago, which were not able to be sold out by tea farmers. But still, in the population, there are some old tea drinkers that pursue the traditional Tie Guan Yin. Hence, the tea merchants bought this remaining slightly-oxidized Tie Guan Yin and re-baked them again which made the tea look like the traditional dark-roasted Tie Guan Yin and sold this tea at high price to make quick money. That is how most of the dark-roasted oolong tea on the market today came to exist. Now, a lot of consumers have become fond of the re-baked Tie Guan Yin but are unfamiliar with the actual origin of the tea.
However, if you know the right people (like the farmers that grow and harvest the tea), you can still get the traditionally dark-roasted TGY.
! Love them too. You should not completely despair. 
- maybe Scott still has stashed away??). HouDe used to carry 2007 high roasted oolongs but they appear sold out (maybe they still have some available in their warehouse??). 
