Rougui 2025 No.507

Rougui (肉桂, cinnamon) is a type of rock tea (岩茶, yancha) from the Wuyi mountains. Along with the usual fiery Wulong flavors, a spicy sweetness can be found in the tea, that later turns into a long-lasting nutty aftertaste. Besides the rock teas’ strong chaqi (茶氣, tea energy) the relatively high caffeine content contributes to the joyful vitalizing effect that this tea has on the body.

Wuyi teas have two major idiosyncrasies: first, they are plucked only during Spring, and second, they are baked multiple times: at harvest time, then once again a half year later.

The Wuyi Mountains are situated in Fujian Province, China. With its more than a thousand-year-old history of tea cultivation, and approximate 200 different subgenera of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, the area is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountain’s volcanic nature reappears in the character of the tea: fiery, vitalizing ambiance and strong chaqi.

Tea, served with our grandmothers' best butter cookies, provides a comforting warmth.

6g / 150 ml / 90 degrees / 15s-10s-15s….

Steamed aroma: melted brown butter, slightly bitter chocolate, sunflower seeds
Color: pure golden brown, like the crust of a cookie
Flavor: brown bread, walnut, yeast, a hint of caramel, croissant crust, American cinnamon, a hint of turnip, sweetness
mouthfeel: round, buttery, coats the mouth
body: gently relaxing, like sitting at grandma's house after lunch, quiet, peaceful, and knowing we can set off on a journey at any moment.

Quantity: 8 or 4 grams per 150ml.
Water temperature: 95ºC. From fresh spring water or filtered water.
Brewing time: 5-10…seconds
Infusions: 6-8