Bai Nian Lao Cong (2025)

General

In China, it is sometimes said that the best teas are produced on the most famous mountains. There is certainly no clearer example of this wisdom than the legendary Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province, China. The Wuyi Mountains, with their dense forests surrounding a winding river and their limestone peaks rising towards the clouds, are like a view of the Chinese soul. For centuries, this landscape has attracted ascetics, scholars and monks who have sought out Wuyi for its invigorating effects on mind and body. The rocky terrain of the region, surrounded by mist and fed by fresh mountain streams, is home to tea trees whose growing conditions cannot be imitated anywhere else.

The Wuyi Mountains' wulong tea is called rock tea. Although there are several different varieties of tea trees, the way the leaves are processed is essentially the same for all different types of rock tea. Only fully grown leaves are picked from the tea bushes. First, the leaves are allowed to release some of their moisture by spreading them on large round bamboo platforms that are exposed to sunlight. The leaves are then mechanically processed to break down the cell structure of the leaves and accelerate oxidation. This is repeated a few times, letting the leaves to rest between processing. When the moisture and oxidation of the leaves have progressed sufficiently, the tea is mechanically rolled to release the flavors and create an elongated rolled shape. Finally, the leaves are roasted until dry. Roasting is traditionally done over hot coals on a large bamboo platform. Roasting locks the leaves in their shape and darkens the color and flavor of the leaves. The degree of oxidation of the tea leaves is typically around 30-60%. The color of the leaves before roasting is dark green and in places slightly brown. The strength of the roast determines the color and taste of the brewed tea. The roast can be light, in which case the color of the tea liquid is yellowish, medium, in which case the color is yellowish-orange, or strong, in which case the color is brownish-red.

Rou Gui tea bush variety has only become widespread in the last few decades and has achieved a position alongside the four traditional tea bush varieties of the Wuyi Mountains - Da Hong Pao, Bai Ji Guan, Tie Luo Han and Shui Jin Gui. The name Rou Gui refers to the cassia tree, from whose bark the commonly available spice cinnamon is made. The tea itself has nothing to do with cassia cinnamon, but the aroma of the tea is said to resemble the spicy pungent scent of cassia cinnamon bark.

This tea

This is an excellent Wuyi Mountain rock tea, or strongly roasted wulong tea picked in the Wuyiv Mountains of Fujian Province. The name of the tea Bai Nian Lao Cong means Hundred-Year-Old Bush. The tea is picked from the bushes of the Shui Xian variety and another name that is often used for this type is Lao Cong Shui Xiang, or Shui Xian of Old Bushes. Older tea bushes usually have deeper roots and therefore the tea quality picked from them often has a deeper and more mineral flavor. By the standards of Wuyi Mountain rock tea, the tea is above average.

Taste

Coming soon

infusion

Use boiling water to brew the tea. Wuyi mountain rock teas are traditionally brewed using the gongfu method, i.e., by infusing the leaves in a small teapot (0-300ml) several times so that the steeping times are short. The amount of leaves used in this method is about 1/3 of the teapot. The steeping time is about 10-30 seconds. A shorter time for infusion can be good, but a much longer steeping rarely is. The steeping time can be extended with subsequent infusions.

If you use a larger teapot and brew a maximum of 2-3 times, the amount of tea leaves is 4-5g, or a heaping tablespoon. The steeping time in a larger pot is 3-5 minutes. The leaves can normally be brewed more than once.