Rou Gui Cha (premium) • 肉桂茶

After first sampling Rou Gui cha at Kkik Da Geo, I was so taken by it that I dreamed that I'd returned to the tea shop with a giant tortuous and loaded its back with as much Rou Gui cha as it could carry (it had a traditional Korean "jigae", an wooden A-frame usually used for carrying wood on your back, customized to fit its shell), then slowly lead it out the door.

Repeating the dream to Prof Ahn, he laughed, then told me that the one I'd tried was medium quality and they'd just received a shipment of top grade Rou Gui cha. If the medium grade Rou Gui was already one of the most expensive teas I'd ever bought ($1.50/g), I figured there would be no way I'd be able to buy the premium one, but to my delight they were packaged in 7 gram portions. It still works out to $2/g, but $14 didn't hurt.

I was very curious how much of a difference there could be between the two grades. The medium grade was already one of the best teas I'd ever had. As I mentioned previously, rou gui is the Chinese word for dried cinnamon bark, and the tea is named after it because the aroma and tingling sensation in your mouth and throat are so similar and the medium grade leaves had this exact sensation.

Intending to make this small sample last as long as possible, I prepared my 25ml Biao Zhun pot that I usually only use for Da Hong Pao. While the pot heated, I admired the leaves. The first thing I noticed is that they were much lighter, with several green and rusty-brown leaves. They reminded me a bit of Phoenix dancong leaves. Transferring them into the warm pot, a beautiful herbal and flower aroma arose which only intensified with a quick rinse. Carefully steeping the leaves for 15 seconds, I took a long whiff of the tea. Already, my mind was blown. A small sip and it instantly knocked all other teas from my mind. There was no other I've had that could compare on any level. I could divide its characteristics into different categories and make isolated comparisons to other teas, but as a whole it stands alone in my experience. The rich, bold sweetness and floral, perfumy bitterness wove themselves together into a seductive, realm-melting spell. It is by far the most amazing tea experience I've ever had.

From what I can tell, the medium grade Rou Gui was produced using the traditional method of a medium oxidization and a heavy roast, whereas these leaves where produced using a newer method of high oxidization and a lighter roast, bring out the spectacular floral aroma.

Rou Gui Wuyi Yancha • 肉桂武夷岩茶

Rou Gui Wuyi Yancha • 肉桂武夷岩茶

On my last visit to Kkik Da Geo, I asked if they had any Wuyi yancha (cliff teas) in stock other than Da Hong Pao. Mrs Kim went into the back room and returned with a package of Rou Gui cha, Cassia Bark tea, named for it's cinnamon-like character. I hadn't been introduced to Rou Gui before but it's a Qing Dynasty tea that has recently joined the ranks of Wuyi's "Four Famous Tea Bushes (四大名欉, Sì dàmíng cóng), raising the number to five.

She spared no detail in preparing it, lining up a row of special cups, specific for high-end Wuyi teas, small even by gongfu standards, with beautiful red floral images raised from the sides of the cups. Loading a zhuni biao zhun pot with dark, twisted, heavily-roasted leaves, she proceeded to rinse them and a sweet but deep floral fragrance drifted about the table.

As she served each of us, I held the tiny cup to my nose and savoured a slow deep breath. The first sip revealed a flavour not unlike Da Hong Pao, but much softer and very floral. The whole shop went silent, as everything paused to appreciate this tea. The silence was only broken by our hums of delight. After a few cups, a strong "huigan" (回甘), a sweet aftertaste, literally a "returning sweetness", had built up. Da Hong Pao is known for it's unique flavour arising form the throat, but this tea's flavour gathered even deeper in the throat, in a place I'd never experienced flavour before. The tip of my tongue tingled with a bitter-sweet (mostly sweet) sensation. Its chaqi was very strong and a high-frequency buzz warmed me.

This tea continued to haunt me as I awoke in the middle of the night with the huigan still strong on my breath. The next night, it was even in my dreams, as I dreamt I was back at Kkik Da Geo's table, loading the back of a turtle with bundles of this tea. I think I will soon be returning with next month's tea budget for a package of this tea.