This incredible tea can easily be called canonical. After all, this is a true Wuyishan oolong. And it is not merely yancha – “rock tea” in the general sense.

The material for this oolong was harvested at Lianhuafeng (“Lotus Peak”, 530 m) – one of the 36 celebrated peaks of Wuyishan, located on the northwestern slope of the main Sanyangfeng peak, in the northern part of the reserve. According to the modern classification, this peak is part of Zhengyan – the canonical central area of the reserve, where the most refined and expensive yancha are born.

For this particular oolong, leaves were harvested from 40-50-year-old tea bushes (laocong) of the Rougui cultivar, which, together with Shuixian and Dahongpao, forms one of the pillars of modern Wuyishan “rock tea”. A key characteristic of Rougui is its high concentration of aromatic compounds, particularly cinnamaldehyde and linalool, which give the tea its distinctive spicy, cinnamon-like notes.

Master Ke made this tea in May 2025 at the invitation of the owner of the raw material. This is a fairly common practice in Fujian, where the owner of expensive, high-quality material invites an experienced master to process the tea. In terms of production technology, Wuyishan oolongs are perhaps among the most complex and multi-stage teas of all. The canonical 10 processes actually comprise more than 50 consecutive operations, where even the slightest mistake at any stage can result in a reduction in the final quality and, accordingly, the price.

Masters are often paid with a portion of the tea they worked on. This is exactly how Master Ke received this tea, which we later brought to you.

The name of the cultivar “Rougui” (肉桂) translates from Chinese as “cinnamon”. And this is no coincidence, as its spicy cinnamon note resonates confidently within the polyphony of aromas and flavors of this fantastic oolong.

This tea surprises with a combination of two seemingly opposite qualities – it is at once remarkably approachable and incredibly complex. It will be easy for a beginner to understand, yet for an experienced tea enthusiast, this yancha can become an almost inexhaustible object of exploration.

The classic and expressive “rock-peak” profile (岩峰类, yan feng lei) of this yancha from Lianhuafeng resonates like an “aria at the summit”.

The tea is highly extractive, so it is best to begin with short 10-15 second infusions, gradually and intuitively increasing the steeping time with subsequent brews.