This tea was given to me as a present, and regrettably, the packaging does not hold a lot of information. I love the deep flavours and strong fragrances of this tea. And I understand that I am not the only lover of this tea. Its production has been growing over the last years, mostly attributed to popularity it gained after winning multiple prizes in national tea competitions.
Actually, I am so looking forward to tasting this tea simultaneously with other Wuyi rock teas and test myself whether I could tell the difference or not. Rou Gui does not only have a cinnamon flavour, but it is known to have the highest fragrance amongst Wuyi Yancha.
Rou Gui tea varietal was first discovered in Huiyuanyan. These days its production spread over other mountains through asexual reproduction.
With this tea, I tasted spiciness (maybe I did not steep enough to taste cinnamon and fruity notes which tend to come into play after the 3rd or 4th steeping.) But still, I had other notes such as woodiness, intense minerality and some sweetness. Despite some broken leaves, I can tell it is a pleasing Rou Gui by the taste of it.
Tea Profile:
Type: Oolong
Origin: Wuyi Mountain, Fujian
Harvest time: 219?
Leaf colour: Brown and dark green with red edges
Liquor colour: Bright yellow
Tea Aroma: Woody
Tea taste: Rich spicy, woody and fruity
Steeping: Place 5 g of tea leaves in a gaiwan/teapot. Add 100 ml water at about 90°C. Steep for 5 seconds and rinse the liquid out. Steep for 15 seconds. To each consecutive infusion add 5 seconds. You can infuse up to 9 times or until the taste is lost.
Shelf life: 2-3 years (although some aged rou gui is also available in the market)