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Rou Gui from TeaSpring
80

This was from my recent TeaSpring order, the one that was famously held hostage by Tax & Customs for days and days on end. I’ve been a bit distracted while drinking this cup, so you’re getting a short version of it. I was also distracted when brewing it, so the short version is probably also wildly inaccurate because I forgot to set a timer while steeping so it steeped for… a good long while. About twice, I think, of how long I would have given it otherwise.

The aroma of the leaves wasn’t super strong. It was there but very mild and gentle. I thought it had a rather toasted note to it with some sweetness and something kind of floral mixed in.

The flavour is really very similar to this. This bark of cassia that TeaSpring refer to in the description is something that is used in cooking as a spice and is also called ‘Chinese Cinnamon’. I don’t think it tastes especially cinnamon-y though, but I can sort of see where they are getting that from. I can only imagine that the actual bark would be much more cinnamon-like in nature.

It also has that burnt toast note that I mentioned when I had the woodfired TGY from Verdant a little while a go. It prickles coal-y-ly ( cringe yes I know…) on the tongue and in the after taste, but is surprisingly pleasant when it doesn’t actually have anything to do with real burnt toast.

Under the current circumstances I can’t say that I’m finding it immensely interesting though. It’s a perfectly wonderful oolong, but it’s more functional than it’s interesting, if you get what I mean. Maybe when I do this properly, I’ll change my mind though.

(I suppose it would be unfair of me to hold the fact that it felt very unpleasant in my windpipe against the tea. But it did. cough )

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Comments

Amy oh
Amy oh 2011-12-15 13:44:22 -0500

the rou gui I have is definitely better when steeped for less time… like 30 – 60 seconds fyi

Angrboda
Angrboda 2011-12-15 14:01:35 -0500

Yeah, I normally do 1-2 minutes. This must have had at least 5.

ScottTeaMan
ScottTeaMan 2011-12-15 15:07:08 -0500

How is a Rou Gui compared to Da Hong Pao??

Angrboda
Angrboda 2011-12-15 15:41:24 -0500

Even if I had been able to avoid all those distractions with this cup, I couldn’t answer that question without a side by side comparison. I’m not experienced enough in these oolongs to do that. Sorry.

Amy oh
Amy oh 2011-12-15 15:58:18 -0500

I don’t know either, sorry Scott.

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Profile

Bio

Angrboda felt her bio needed to be re-written, but she failed to consider what she wanted it to say instead.

Um…

Okay. Ang prefers black teas and the darker sorts of oolongs. She has to be in the mood for green and white and she enjoys, but knows little to nothing about, pu-erh.

Her preferences with black teas are the Chinese ones, particularly from Fujian, but also Keemun and just about anything smoky. She occasionally enjoys Yunnans but they’re not favourites.

She is sceptical about Indian blacks as she generally finds them too astringent and too easy to get wrong. She doesn’t really care for Darjeelings at all.

She likes flavoured teas as well, particularly fruit flavoured ones, but also has an obsession with finding the Perfect Vanilla Flavoured Black.

However, she thinks Earl Grey is generally kind of boring. Cinnamon and ginger are also not really a hit, and she’s not very fond of chais. Evil hibiscus is evil. Even in small amounts, and yes, Ang can usually detect hibiscus, mostly by way of the metallic flavour of blood it has.

Ang is not super impressed with rooibos or honeybush. She doesn’t care for either, really, but when they are flavoured, there have been known to be surprising exceptions to this rule.

Ang has a number of teas that she regards her Standard Panel and will always try to have on hand.
-Lapsang Souchong, any brand really, but preferably AC Perchs.
-Blackberry flavoured black or similar, any brand.
-Late Summer Blend, AC Perchs
-Raspberry Oolong, AC Perchs OR Red Fruits Oolong, Le Palais des Thes
-Caramel, Kusmi OR Toffee, Le Palais des Thes
-Something orange flavoured, black or pu-erh, any brand.
-Tan Yang Te Ji, Teaspring OR Bai Lin Gongfu, Teavivre
-A good Keemun, any brand.
-The Perfect Vanilla Black if and when she ever finds it…

Angrboda is almost always open to swapping. Just ask her.

The Formalities

Contact Angrboda by email: iarnvidia@gmail.com
Contact Angrboda by YIM: angrboda@ymail.com
Angrboda does not respond to gmail chat.

Find Ang on…
Steam: Iarnvidia
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Livejournal: See website.
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Location

Denmark

Website

http://angrboda.livejournal.com

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