Monday, April 27, 2020

Tea Review: Yu Hua Dong Zheng Yan Rou Gui (Nine Dragons Tea)

Yu Hua Dong Zheng Yan Rou Gui
Nine Dragons Tea
Type: Oolong
Origin: China, Fujian Province, Wuyishan
Product Description: 
We are proud to offer this competition-grade Rou Gui, which won Second Place at the 2019 Wuyishan Tea Competition, out of over 2,000 entries.

This tea was grown in the Zheng Yan ("true cliff") core area of Wuyishan, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was made by Chen Zhen Ying, who is the Deputy Director of the Wuyishan Tea Research Institute, and expertly roasted by Gao Peng, who won the Yan Cha Grand Prize in 2018.
 As the leading variety of rock tea, Rou Gui is grown in many different mountain areas, and the taste of each mountain area is different. This tea comes from Yu Hua cave, an area which is abundant in water and nutrient-rich soil, adjacent to the Water Curtain Cave. The ecology of this area is perfect for growing tea. 
The tea soup is mellow and soft, with a honey/nectar sweetness, which transitions from slightly fruity to floral, then finally ends in notes of cinnamon. Yan Yun ("rock rhyme") is evident, with an excellent light roast and sweetness that lingers in the mouth and throat.
Temperature: 208° F
Amount: 3 grams
Steeping Time: 3-7 minutes

The dry leaves have an aroma of roasted nut shells and dark bread with a hint of sweetness.

The orange amber liquor has an aroma of roasted nuts and hints of caramelized sugar and fruit.  The taste is dark and rich with notes of roasted nut shells and a long roasty and sweet finish.

This is a tea that lends itself to gongfu-style brewing where using more leaf and a small brewing vessel will bring out the best and most flavorful infusions.  With a cupping set, a baseline 3 grams of leaf, and water at or near boiling, the results are still flavorful and aromatic.  The color, aroma, and flavor lightened significantly after the second infusion, so I doubled the steeping time which brought everything back up to the level that I enjoyed for a couple more steepings.  The tea feels dry when it first hits the tongue, but that sensation immediately softens and the delicious finish goes on forever.

This tea was purchased by me.




No comments:

Post a Comment