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Premium Guifei-Wulong

35 CHF

Premium Guifei-Wulong, vintage 2010, traditional honey scent Wulong

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Premium Guifei-Wulong

Guifei, also called honey scented Wulong, is a rarity among Wulong teas and is very noble and full of taste. Hence the name Guifei: highest imperial concubine. Guifei is a late development of Oriental Beauty (Dongfang Meiren, Show-off Tea, Five Colour Wulong or Champagne Wulong). Therefore, the rank of Empress belongs to Oriental Beauty and Guifei has to rank second as highest Imperial Concubine.

As with the Oriental Beauty, the tea plantations must be infested by the small cicada Jacobiasca formosana. As a defence mechanism, the tea plant then secretes an attractant to attract the natural enemy of the cicada, a spider. This changes the ingredients in the leaves and when processed correctly, the typical honey scent is created. The processing has its origin in Dongding. The difference to Oriental Beauty is that the tea is processed according to Dongding Style. One waits longer until the leaves are a little bit more ripe. This makes the aroma more full-bodied. Also Guifei Wulongs are sometimes roasted quite strongly, which is not done at all with Oriental Beauty.

This processing method goes back to the heavy earthquake in 1999 and the heavy typhoon in 2001. Both natural disasters hit the Dongding region very hard. The tea farmers were busy repairing the damage and therefore neglected the tea plantations. This created a good environment for the little cicada. The tea farmers took advantage of this and then developed the Guifei-Wulong based on Oriental Beauty.

The distinctive honey scent of a Guifei-Wulong depends mainly on the degree of infestation of the small cicada — and of course on the processing. Premium Guifei-Wulong shows a very high infestation and was oxidized very well. The infusion color is deep orange and the aroma is very strong from the first infusion. If you first rinse the gaiwan with hot water and then pour the tea into the warm, dry gaiwan and smell it, you will be captivated by the beguiling, strong sweet and ripe fruity scent. Already with the first infusion the character of the tea is clearly visible. A heavy and spicy sweetness of honey aromas, remotely comparable to an ice wine, too complex to do justice to the fullness and character of the tea with a description. You have to experience the charm of the concubine yourself to get a picture of it.

This Guifei has a medium degree of roasting. The roasting process intensifies and refines the tea’s own aromas without masking its character. Therein lies the high art of roasting, which is masterfully expressed in the Premium Guifei-Wulong.
Due to the traditional processing it can be stored without any problems and without losing its aroma. With increasing age, the aroma changes and develops its very own charm.

Harvest time: Summer 2010
Aroma: Sweet, fruity and spicy, strong honey aromas
Oxidation: approx. 60+%
Roasting: medium
Terroir: Taiwan
Temperature:  90-100° C
Preparation: In this blog post you will find a description of how to brew Oolong tea in an optimal way.
Tip: The aroma in the mouth unfolds best when Premium Guifei-Wulong is not drunk too hot, but waits until it has cooled down a little in the cup.
Premium Guifei-Wulong is especially suitable for infusion in a large cup or a larger pot as it is very rich. It does not need to be poured off, but lets the tea leaves sink to the bottom. After a longer infusion time, the Premium Guifei-Wulong can develop a certain astringency. You can then simply dilute it again with some hot water.

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