Country of Origin: Taiwan
Leaf Appearance: dark, long and twisted
Water Temperature: 195 degrees
Steep Time: 5 minutes
Preparation Method: glass infuser
Liquor: amber
Upton Tea Imports is one of those comfort brands that has been there since the beginning of my tea journey. Their quarterly mailer is something that I still love seeing arrive in the mailbox. This year is their 35th anniversary and they released this limited edition Ruby 18 black tea to celebrate. This cultivar is a cross between a native Taiwanese variety and var. Assamica from Burma. The region where this tea is produced in Nantou County is called Sun Moon Lake. You may see the names used interchangeably, though other types of tea are also made there.
Leaf
The leaves of Upton Tea Imports Sun Moon Lake were dark in color with a characteristic long, twisted shape. Under my photography lights some of them had a more green caste than could be seen with the naked eye. They were a bit more broken than other Ruby 18 teas I have tried, but still fairly nice looking. There was a pleasantly sweet and woody aroma even before brewing. I prepared this tea in a glass infuser using 195ºF water and an infusion time of 5 minutes.
Liquor
Upton Tea Imports Sun Moon Lake brewed up a reddish amber liquor. The taste was mellow and smooth with malty-sweet notes of brown sugar, vanilla, and baking spices. Warm cinnamon raisin bread came to mind. There was no astringency to be found. My second infusion was lighter but still tasty. Three infusions were about as much as you’ll be able to get. That isn’t all that unusual for this type of tea and I did enjoy it quite a bit.
That said, Ruby 18 can be found in larger packages for less money. It is a limited edition but I’m not sure it is worth the extra price tag. I also missed the signature wintergreen finish that this tea type is known for. It might be best to reserve this one for a special treat when you have a gift card.
Have you ever tried Upton Tea Imports Sun Moon Lake (Ruby 18)? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Sun Moon Lake sample provided for review by Upton Tea Imports.
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