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2023 Gold Medal Rou Gui

2023 Gold Medal Rou Gui

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Award-Winning
Competition-Level Wuyi Oolong
Wuyishan’s Iconic Rou Gui, winning gold medals for the Li Family's unparalleled terroir and hand-firing craft. Notes of cinnamon, persimmon, honey, and powerful sparkling aftertaste.
Spring 2023 ♦ Wuyishan, Fujian
Award-Winning
Competition-Level Wuyi Oolong
Wuyishan’s Iconic Rou Gui, winning gold medals for the Li Family's unparalleled terroir and hand-firing craft. Notes of cinnamon, persimmon, honey, and powerful sparkling aftertaste.
Spring 2023 ♦ Wuyishan, Fujian
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Crafted by the Li Family

Hand-picked and traditionally hand-finished within the true Wuyishan Ecological Preserve on forested biodiverse, rocky, mountainous land for distinct Wuyi minerality.
 
The Li Family is an award-winning, highly respected force for sustainability, hand-firing craft, rare varietal preservation, and tea education in Wuyishan.
    • DATE OF PICKINGSpring 2023
    • Wuyishan Ecological PreserveWuyishan, Fujian
    • ELEVATION600 METERS
    • Rou GuiTea Varietal

    Rou Gui is quickly becoming one of the most popular Wuyi Oolongs across China for its intense concentrated aroma, and the textural cooling tingling sensation called yun that it shows off at the highest levels. Li Xiangxi and her family’s Rou Gui has been winning gold and silver medals at competition for years due to their incredible skill at coaxing the best aroma from each leaf through slow subtle roasting. This year, they set aside enough of their award-winning harvest for us to share.

  • true
    70
    persimmon, banana
    true
    85
    violet, honey
    true
    100
    cinnamon, aloeswood, camphor
    true
    85
    whipped cream, brown sugar
    false
    true
    yun, intense cooling, minerality

    Tasting Profile

    • fruit - persimmon, banana
    • floral - violet, honey
    • spice - cinnamon, aloeswood, camphor
    • savory - whipped cream, brown sugar
    • texture - yun, intense cooling, minerality

the Li Family also recommends:

  1. 2023 Rou Gui Wuyi Oolong
    2023 Rou Gui Wuyi Oolong
    The Li Family is becoming famous in Wuyishan for their Rou Gui. The combination of a biodiverse plot, full of wildflowers and natural forest cover, the volcanic rocky soil, mature root stock plants, and multiple twelve hour hand-firing processes spread over several months make their Rou Gui a true standout. Classically, Rou Gui is known for its cinnamon spice, but in the Li Family’s capable hands, the cinnamon spice is bolstered by tingling cooling undertones and deep minerality. This Rou Gui is Li Xiangxi’s focus in all her taste training courses at her family’s Yangxian Academy, served to students and visiting dignitaries as a classic representation of what the varietal is capable of.
  2. 2009 Aged Fo Shou Wuyi Oolong
    2009 Aged Fo Shou Wuyi Oolong

    In 2009 the LI Family decided to set aside a fraction of their reserve-level Fo Shou Wuyi Oolong, and instead of high-firing it to remove all moisture, they allowed it to ferment with natural moisture, essentially making their own shu pu'er. This tea was still finished with yaoqing technique, making it absolutely an oolong, but with all the depth of shu pu'er. Note, this is not similar to standard aged oolong because of the unique moisture conditions. It has aged deep, dark, and foresty- a totally new hybrid style we are excited to share!
  3. Ten Yr. Aged Full Roast Shui Xian
    Ten Yr. Aged Full Roast Shui Xian
    Originally picked in 2007, this Shui Xian Wuyi Oolong has been carefully re-roasted and rested each year for a decade. The aging and careful roasting has brought out beautiful complexity in this tea, pairing Shui Xian's compelling texture with the mineral sweetness and mustiness of age. Sweet savory and salty elements keep the brew cozy and compelling, while sweet florals and intoxicating, evocative aroma make us nostalgic for the Li Family's biodiverse tea groves. This unique selection is not to be missed.

  • 'Lingering aromatics, sweet sensation on the sides of the mouth, mouth watering, and a vaporous persistent quality - this is what we call Yan Yun'

  • 4
    6
    208
    40 seconds
    30
    5
    6
    208
    15-20 seconds
    15
    5
    12
    room temp
    8 hours

    Steeping Instructions

    Western

    4 g.6
    oz.    use 208° watersteep 40 secondsresteep many times
    add 30 sec. each infusion

    Gongfu

    5 g.6 ozuse 208° watersteep 15-20 seconds
    add 15 sec. per steeping    enjoy many steepings

    Iced/Cold

    5 g.12
    oz.    use room temp. waterrefrigerate overnight
    8 hours    add ice & enjoy

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