2026 Qing Shiyan Rou Gui 青狮岩肉桂
Tea Profile
Type: Wuyi Yancha (Rock Tea)
Location: Qing Shiyan 青狮岩, Zhengyan, Wuyishan, Fujian
Altitude: Approx. 600 m
Harvest Date: May 2026
Cultivar: Rou Gui 肉桂
Age of Tea Bushes: Around 40 years
Roasting Level: Medium roast, three charcoal firings: June 25, August 1 and September 12, 2026
The Story of This Tea
This Rou Gui comes from Qing Shiyan 青狮岩 in Wuyishan’s Zhengyan core production area. The tea garden sits on an unusually open and relatively flat rock terrace, receiving sunlight throughout much of the day. These growing conditions contribute to strong, well-developed leaves and the concentrated aromatic character that makes this batch particularly expressive.
Rou Gui is celebrated for its distinctive spicy fragrance, often associated with cinnamon, but the finest examples reveal far more than spice alone. In this 2026 harvest, the cultivar’s characteristic warmth is joined by floral and fruity aromas, sweetness and a pronounced mineral character from its rocky growing environment.
The tea received three separate charcoal roastings on June 25, August 1 and September 12. Allowing time between each firing gives the tea an opportunity to rest and settle before the next stage of roasting. The finished tea combines the warmth and depth of the roast with the fragrance of the leaf, producing a Rou Gui that is structured, aromatic and remarkably smooth.
Aroma and Flavour
The fragrance emerges immediately, beginning with warm cinnamon and honey before opening into orchid, dried fruit and a subtle creamy sweetness. In the liquor, spice and fruit are supported by a clear mineral depth. The tea feels rich without becoming heavy, moving from cinnamon warmth into floral and fruity sweetness before finishing with the lingering rocky character associated with Zhengyan Yancha.
- Aroma: Cinnamon, honey, orchid, dried plum and soft cream
- Flavour: Warm cinnamon and ripe fruit with gentle roast sweetness and clean mineral depth
- Texture: Smooth, rounded and medium-thick
- Aftertaste: Lingering sweetness and yanyun 岩韵, with a soft cooling finish
- Steeping Endurance: 8–10 infusions with steady aromatic development
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Zhuni 朱泥 or Hongni 红泥 Yixing teapot for warmth and aromatic concentration, or porcelain gaiwan for greater clarity
- Ratio: 6–7 g per 100 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C, ideally soft spring water or fresh low-mineral filtered water
- Infusions: Quick rinse; begin with 5–7 seconds for the first three infusions and gradually extend thereafter
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glass teapot
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: Around 95 °C
- Steeping: 2–2½ minutes for the first infusion; resteep twice, adding approximately 30 seconds each time
Why Choose This Tea
This 2026 Qing Shiyan Rou Gui brings together the defining qualities sought in a Zhengyan Wuyi Rock Tea: aromatic intensity, structured minerality, cultivar character and a long, evolving finish. Around 40-year-old bushes and an open, sunlit growing position give the tea a particularly concentrated expression of Rou Gui’s characteristic cinnamon fragrance.
Three carefully spaced charcoal roastings add depth and smoothness while preserving the tea’s floral and fruity character. The result is an expressive Rou Gui with warmth, sweetness and lingering yanyun 岩韵. An excellent choice for drinkers who want to explore the distinctive character of Rou Gui grown within Wuyishan’s core rock tea area.