Master Xu's Rou Gui

A great “yan cha” style oolong that has a wonderful mix of a roasted flavors and fruity notes. I am always surprised at how much this tea fades after the first two infusions. With such a steep drop off in flavor, you may find that infusions 3+ require an unusually large increase in steep time. You can also experiment with more leaf. Personally, I don’t recommend rinsing this tea at all, but this is just a preference.

Before steeping, the leaves are fragrant, with roasty notes – very promising. The liquor is a dark amber, and the flavor is elegant, smooth, and with a touch of rock flavor. I couldn’t taste the “fruity” notes promised in the online blurb, either in the aroma or flavor. It’s even better if you let the tea cool a bit, when you can appreciate the quality of preparation. One of the more expensive DHP’s.