Charcoal Roasted Oolong

碳焙熟香乌龙

Harvest
May 2024

Origin
Anxi, Fujian

This oolong is crafted by Master Lin Zhenwen. Master Lin is well known throughout the entire Anxi Mountain region for his skill at charcoal roasting oolong. It is an essential step in the traditional crafting of any oolong from Fujian. The technique takes years, if not decades, of dedicated experience to perfect. The rewards are high: when done well, the process of charcoal roasting coaxes sweetness, fragrance and great complexity from the tea leaves. A craftsman will perform several rounds of this slow roasting before the tea is  finished. This process becomes like a signature made on the oolong: every craftsman has a different roasting process, or a different touch, that they take pride in having developed themselves through a great deal of practice and consideration of the effect the roasting has on the tea in the glass. 

This Charcoal Roasted Oolong is a blend of 3 different oolong varietals: Golden Cassia, Tieguanyin, and Gold Guanyin, all that grow in Master Lin’s tea garden in Meizhuang Village, Anxi. His intention with this tea is to craft a delicious and traditional oolong that is suitable for everyday drinking. The tea is roasted in small batches in bamboo baskets suspended over charcoal for 4 rounds. This roasting process takes place over the course of 2 months. The tea is truly “signed” by the touch of Master Lin. We taste it for how delicately it has been handled and exposed to hear as much as for the distinct and fragrant Anxi tea leaves themselves.

This tea carries the signature of the masterful charcoal roaster who made it. A sweet and balanced year for this lovely tea. We get fruity notes and a soft, long lasting sweetness. Its tannic structure emerges slowly, lifting the weight of the tea into the centre of the mouth. By the third infusion the dark roasted leaves have opened entirely and their character is wholly expressed. 

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Brewing guide