Tea Review: Sun Moon Lake Hongyu Black Tea (Wang Family Tea)

Sun Moon Lake Hóngyù Black Tea

Wang Family Tea
Type: Black
Origin: Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake, Yúchí Township
Product Description:

Red Jade （紅玉） is a hybrid of a Burmese large leaf variety bred with a native, wild growing variety from Taiwan. A cultivar created by the Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES), the governmental body responsible for researching and promoting tea in Taiwan, Red Jade took over five decades to produce.

Our No.18 Red Jade is tightly twisted into a strip shape, has a dark black with hints of auburn color, and a distinct mint aroma laced with undercurrents of woodsiness. When brewed, the beauty of our Red Jade becomes even more apparent.  The Tea liquor is a crystal clear, warm dark red. This color can truly only be described as “Red Jade”. The first round of brewing yields a wonderfully aromatic cup. The unique mint aroma and taste of our Red Jade are on full display here.  Underneath the mint, you can detect a light aroma of cinnamon. The second round builds on this wonderful start. The mint and cinnamon flavors begin to deepen, and are joined by a light sugary sweetness that is reminiscent of ripe fruit. The third round is where this tea really shines.  The taste of mint, cinnamon, and sugar reach their zenith, and are further enhanced by an added aroma of exotic wood.

Temperature: 190-208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 1-3 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of sweet oats with a hint of cinnamon.

The bright red liquor has a minty aroma with a hint of cinnamon, mild astringency, and a long refreshing minty finish.

Steeping for only 1 minute at 208° F produced very nice results with full flavor just a hint of astringency.  For those who prefer something bolder, steeping for 2-3 minutes produced moderate to high astringency without overwhelming the minty notes.  By far my favorite results came from by steeping for 2 minutes in 190° F water.  The infusion had notes of mint, cinnamon and something that reminded me of dark brown bread with mild astringency and a refreshing minty finish. 

This tea was purchased on my behalf at the 2023 Northwest Tea Festival.