Rougui Tea

Rougui tea, which originated in Wuyi Mountain in Fujian Province, China, is a treasure among oolong teas. Its leaves are tightly curled, dark brown in color, and shiny. After brewing, the tea broth is bright orange-yellow in colour, with a pungent and persistent aroma that carries a unique cinnamon fragrance. The taste is mellow and thick, with a distinct YENflavour. Rougui tea not only has a unique taste but is also rich in many trace elements that are beneficial to the human body. It has the benefits of warming the yang qi, dispersing cold and relieving pain, refreshing the mind, and invigorating the brain. Sipping a cup of Rougui tea is like taking a stroll among the mountains and waters of Wuyi, feeling the gifts of nature and the charm of tea culture. Rougui tea is a fine tea that is worth savoring and collecting for every tea lover.

Rougui Tea Details:

Product name: Rougui tea
Place of origin: Wuyishan, Fujian Province, China
Net content: 50g
Shelf life: 2922 days
Storage: Protect from moisture, odours and direct light

Rougui Tea Picking:

Rougui tea picking standards are very strict. Usually, the new shoots and leaves are selected when they are fully mature and have formed buds. Three to four leaves are picked from each bud, and the leaves on either side of the bud are also picked. This is commonly known as ‘face-opening picking’. When picking, the tea farmers hold the palm of their hand upwards, hook the fresh leaves with their index finger, and gently break them off with the strength of their thumb, striving to keep the fresh leaves fresh and avoid breakage, injury, scattered leaves, heat change, and other phenomena that are detrimental to quality. The picking time is usually on a sunny day in early May each year, and there are also requirements for the picking time of the day, which needs to be completed between 10 am and 3 pm to ensure the quality of the tea.

Rougui Tea Production:

Withering‌: Spread the freshly picked leaves evenly on a bamboo mat or rack and wither them in the sun. The temperature should not exceed 30℃, and the duration depends on the age of the leaves, the intensity of the sunlight, and the variety of tea. The purpose of withering is to make the leaves lose their gloss, become soft, with the top two leaves (or one leaf) drooping, the green smell disappearing, a slight aroma developing, and the weight reduced by 10% to 12%.

‌Aroma-Developing Leaf Shaking‌: Aroma-Developing Leaf Shaking involves repeatedly shaking and cooling the leaves under suitable environmental temperature and humidity conditions to bring about optimal fermentation. During Aroma-Developing Leaf Shaking, the tea leaves are rolled in a spiral up and down in a water sieve. The edges of the leaves flip over and rub against each other, damaging the cell tissue and promoting the oxidation of polyphenols, which in turn promotes the formation of the tea's colour, aroma and flavour. Cooling the leaves allows the tea to continue withering during the resting process, releasing moisture and the green aroma.

‌Stir Fixation‌: The aim of stir fixation is to use high heat to destroy the activity of enzymes, stop fermentation, stabilise the quality that has been formed during fixation, and purify the aroma. During stir fixation, the firepower of the stove must be extremely high, and the temperature of the pan gradually increased to above 230°C to 260°C. The tea leaves are quickly stir-fried in the pan.

Rolling‌: After stir fixation, the tea leaves are quickly placed on a tea-rolling table while still hot and rolled. The purpose of rolling is to press the tea leaves into strips, squeeze out the leaf juice, and make the tea leaves more compact and beautiful. After rolling, the tea leaves are re-fried and re-rolled to form the unique ‘dragonfly head’, ‘frog skin’ and ‘three-sectioned colour’ of Wuyi rock tea.

First roasting‌: First roasting is commonly known as ‘roasting with water’. The main purpose is to use high temperatures to heat and transform some substances in the tea. The rolled tea leaves are placed evenly in the roasting basket, with a leaf thickness of 2-3 cm, and then moved into the roasting room for roasting. The roasting room windows must be closed tightly, and the temperature controlled at 100℃~110℃. The tea leaves are turned once every 10~12 minutes until they reach the desired degree of drying.
‌Sorting the tea‌: Yellow leaves, tea stalks and unbound leaves are sorted out to ensure the purity of the tea.

‌Second roasting‌: In order to roast the tea to the appropriate degree and reduce the loss of tea aroma and the reduction of tea polyphenols, a second roasting is required. The temperature for the second roast should be slightly lower than that for the first roasting. It is usually carried out at around 100°C until the tea is sufficiently dry and has a lustrous appearance.

Baking: Baking is one of the important processes in the traditional production method of Wuyi rock tea. It further stabilizes the quality and aroma of the tea by slow roasting at low temperatures. Rougui tea that has been baked has a caramel aroma and is characterized by its ability to brew well.

How to Brew Rougui Tea:

Warm the teapot and cups: Before brewing, use hot water to warm the teapot and cups to improve their insulation effect and help the tea aroma to develop.

1. Put tea leaves into the teapot: Depending on personal taste and the size of the teapot, put the right amount of Rougui tea leaves into the teapot. Generally, about 5–10g of tea leaves are needed for one serving. If the tea leaves are broken, you can increase the amount appropriately.
2. ‌Washing tea‌: Fill the teapot with hot water, steep the Rougui tea leaves for 10–15 seconds, then quickly pour the tea out.
3. ‌Filling with water‌: Fill the teapot with boiling water again, taking care to use hot water to bring out the aroma of the Rougui tea leaves.
   
4. Steeping‌: Leave the teapot aside to steep the Rougui tea leaves for a while. The steeping time depends on personal taste and preference, but a general recommendation is between 1 and 3 minutes. As the brewing process is repeated, the steeping time can be extended appropriately.
   
5. Pouring the tea‌: Pour the steeped Rougui tea into the teacup, taking care not to pour out the tea leaves together. After pouring the tea, use a tea towel to wipe the water stains off the tea set and hands.
6. ‌Sipping‌: Savour the aroma and taste of Rougui tea and experience its unique texture and charm.

Rougui Tea Characteristics:

Look: Rougui tea is goldenyellow or brown in colour when dry, with tightly bound, sturdy strands.

Smell: Rougui tea has a sharp, long-lasting aroma with a distinctive cinnamon fragrance. After brewing, the cup lid, water and infused leaf have distinct layers of aroma that are intoxicating.

Taste: Rougui tea has a mellow, thick and thick aftertaste, with a long-lasting, sweet, and refreshing flavour. A good-quality Rougui tea has a clear, sweet, slightly astringent broth that is neither bitter nor astringent.

Look at the broth‌: The broth of Rougui tea is orange-yellow and transparent, with no impurities. As the number of brewing increases, the broth may gradually darken.

Look at the infused leaf‌: The infused leaf of Rougui tea is red, even and complete, soft and flexible. By rolling the infused leaf, you can feel its fibrous texture and activity.

Rougui Tea Benefits:

Nutrient supplement‌: Rougui tea is rich in vitamins and trace elements, such as polyphenols, alkaloids, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and various minerals such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which can effectively supplement the nutrients the body needs.

Promotes blood circulation‌: Rougui can dilate blood vessels and promote blood circulation, helping to prevent and improve symptoms of poor blood circulation, such as cold hands and feet and dizziness.

Helps lower blood sugar‌: Cinnamic acid in Rougui tea can improve insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels, which is helpful in the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Strengthens the stomach and improves digestion‌: The extract of Rougui tea has a mild stimulating effect, which can strengthen bowel movements and promote metabolism, thereby strengthening the stomach and improving digestion.