Huang Mei Gui
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Huang Mei Gui is a new Wuyi Rock Tea. Its name means ‘yellow rose’ and is a light and aromatic Oolong tea. The leaves were roasted at low temperature to not alter its extreme floral fragrance. The aroma has strong orchid and orange blossom notes; a very natural fragrance, like spring in the mountains.
It is very thick in mouthfeel and immensely heady; strong perfumed notes of orchid and lily dance in the mouth with delicate roasted apple and mineral. This is a wonderful tea to experience how fragrant a Wuyi Rock Tea can be.
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 savor shares the field with the strength from roasting and the delicate floral and fruity hints.
- ORIGIN: Dashuikeng, Wuyishan, Fujian, China
- MEANING: Yellow rose (huang mei gui)
- CULTIVAR: Huang Mei Gui
- HARVEST TIME: April 28, 2015
- TASTE: Orchid, mineral, heady
Preparation
- Quantity: 6g / 500ml
- Water temperature: 90°C
- Infusion time: 5
- Quantity: 3g / 100ml
- Water temperature: 90°C
- 4 infusions: 45, 45, 60, 90 sec
For best results in gongfu cha, brew in the traditional gaiwan or in a Yixing teapot. Too high water temperature would burn the leaves, resulting in bitter taste.
Additional Information
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.
Today Wuyi Yan Cha is one of the most valued teas in China. Because it has become a status symbol, many wealthy Chinese are willing to pay a fortune for it without even knowing how a proper Wuyi Yan Cha should taste. The result has been prices inflating to unjustified level and quality often sacrificed for quantity.
Unique to the Wuyi Yan Cha is a mineral savor coming from the soil and the surrounding cliffs. Being the oolong with the highest fire finish, fresh Yan Cha may as a result be strong and pungent. Sharpness and too-prominent astringency subside upon ageing. Premium high-fire Yan Cha tastes better after a few years of storage. Use a Yixing teapot to soften the tea, should it be too astringent for your palate.
The overall tasting profile is rich, complex, and deep. Depending on cultivar and environment, the mineral-roasted flavor is refined by floral, fruity, nutty or woody accents.