Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: dark, somewhat twisted
Ingredients: oolong tea
Steep time: 30 seconds
Water Temperature: 200 degrees
Preparation Method: porcelain gaiwan
Liquor: amber
I’ve never been into Yancha but ever since working at +Tea Drunk I’ve developed a penchant for Rou Gui. +Peony Tea S. has yet to steer me wrong so I dove into this one readily. I usually do a quick rinse with cliff teas and it was definitely helpful with this one. I tasted the rinse and it had an interesting floral component that I was not expecting. The first round after the rinse was much darker and roasty with subtle hints of spice. It had a bit of the “cliff tea bump” but wasn’t overly astringent. Although this one wasn’t as heavily roasted as other examples that I’ve tried, it still had the comforting quality that I love so much. The name Rou Gui translates as cassia, otherwise known as Chinese cinnamon. This is a tea that really shines best when prepared in a gaiwan, sans milk and sugar. Cliff teas can be a bit pricey and this one is no different. I would most likely reserve this one for special occasions.
Wuyi Zhengyan Rougui sample provided by Peony Tea Shop.