Rougui Oolong is a unique Wuyi Yan Cha, famous for its distinct cassia taste when brewed properly, giving it a warm and spicy personality. The aroma of the tea is sweet, with a spicy chocolate and gently roasted profile. The taste is very true to its name: strong notes of cinnamon and nutmeg blend with cocoa, mangosteen, and a pleasant roast. Some Yan Cha have a very strong flavour of smoke or coal; this one, while strongly roasted, does not have an overbearing taste, so is perfect for people who like their Yan Cha mellowed. Moreover, this Rougui is from one of the only organic Wuyi Rock Oolong tea factories in the Wuyi Mountain region!
Wuyi Yan Cha – the tea from the rocks
Wuyi Yan Cha, aka Wuyi Rock Tea or, more properly, Cliff Tea, is an ancient oolong tea (one of the six tea categories, halfway between green and black teas). Rock tea is produced in the northern Fujian province.
Wuyi Yan Cha are complex teas. The typical mineral savour shares the field with the strength from roasting and the delicate floral and fruity hints.
For best results in gongfu cha, brew in a traditional gaiwan or in a Yixing teapot. The tea will be bitter if brewed at higher temperature.
Authentic Wuyi Yan Cha is produced in the Wuyi Mount region, a UNESCO natural heritage site. The dramatic gorges of the Nine Bend River are surrounded by a largely intact subtropical forest and smooth cliffs of black-brownish rocks. The tea plants grow in narrow valleys, next to the cliffs, in a mineral-rich soil.