Wuyi Origin Qi Lan (rock oolong)

 

the same leaves photographed inside, much different in color; strange

I didn't write any intro part making tasting notes so I'll leave that part thin here too.  I wrote more about the background on this tea, and a nearly identical review, related to a 2020 version here.  I was blown away by just how good that tea was, how balanced it is, and refined, with a really pleasant complex aspect range, and I just went through all that again.  

During tasting I was curious how Cindy described this tea (the Wuyi Origin owner) and cite that in with the notes.  I might add that I could be biased towards their teas because Cindy is one of my absolute favorite tea contacts, more a friend than a vendor contact to me, but you can double check my positive impression on their teas in any tea group.  Just search Wuyi Origin and every comment essentially says that the teas are amazing.  

They're doing a tea club theme now too, which would have to be interesting.  I really should subscribe to that, for being a fan, and just to try to return some of the favor for her sharing teas to try (this was sent by her, not bought), but in part related to honoring my wife's opinion on the matter I keep my own tea spending ridiculously low, closer to zero than should be possible.  We're not quite that poor, I do work in IT as a mid level manager, but it's within a Thai compensation scale, which is sad if you think about it too much.  We've got a good life here though, so I don't overthink that.

Review:

First infusion:  just great, as expected.  It's the balance and refinement of their teas that really stands out, as clearly a higher quality level version than 99% of everything else I ever try.  This one smells a lot like rich cocoa but then the taste includes more of an aromatic cognac type range, along with integrated floral tones, and plenty of scope beyond that.  

There are a few distinct styles of wuyi yancha and this is a great example of one of them.  One style relates to overburned examples, and another is really woody or tobacco like somewhat lower quality range.  Then some are quite fruity, although that isn't common.  Some can include pronounced flavors like cinnamon (especially Rou Gui), or other spice range.  Then one form is more subtle and floral, with a perfume-like or even cognac related range, balancing other subtle inputs, like this.  I suppose they might keep oxidation level moderate as a stylistic choice for their teas; they could trade out some fresh effect and even complexity for warmer tones pushing a little further with that.  To be clear I'm not second-guessing their processing skill or choices; they're nailing it.

Roast contributes to that rich flavor but you don't actually taste roast (char).  One part is like spice too.  It would be interesting to see what Cindy describes the main flavors like in this.  It would be easy to just say floral; that's definitely dominant.  Something like a light version of roasted chestnut would make sense as an interpretation; once you think of that it tastes a lot like it [interesting that last year's version included an almond range instead, similar but different].

Second infusion:  I'll break normal convention here and quote Cindy's Qi Lan description:

 The Qilan variety of Wuyi Mountain was introduced from Pinghe County, Southern Fujian in the 1990s. Because Qilan grows well under the unique and excellent geographical conditions of Wuyi Mountain, the Qilan quality under the unique Wuyi rock tea production technology is even more superior. Beloved by the masses, it is widely planted in Wuyishan area.

   Dry tea: the strips are neat and curly, the color is brown and green, and the color is oily and shiny; the color of the soup: the tea soup is orange and yellow, the entrance is mellow and sweet, and the teeth and cheeks are fragrant after the swallowing; the bottom of the leaf: yellow and bright, with a light green bottom and red border.

    The flavor is sweet, with the typical mineral taste of Wuyi tea. A flowery orchid aroma and cinnamon flavor. Very pleasant and smooth aftertaste as well. It has a pleasant, very subtle menthol-like effect in the aftertaste. Qi lan is a quite  popular Pinzhong among others pinzhong in Wuyi. 

Floral with cinnamon; that works.  What she means by dividing tea types there into traditional versions and later derived tea plant types is interesting, described in this blog post.

Cinnamon really ramped up in that; I suppose this could pass for a Rou Gui.  Of course I do notice a menthol-like effect in the aftertaste, having been directed towards noticing it.  The feel stands out more to me, the way it has a novel form of thickness to it.  Not as heavy as many types of oolong, but unique in effect.  A slightly "green" edge stands out in this; it seems to match a lighter oxidized style common for some of these.  I suppose the balance, quality, and refinement are what really mark this as unique though, the way it all comes together.  No one ever accidentally made a tea this good, guessing about production process working out well.

The heavy floral tone makes it seem more perfume-like than liquor-like at this stage, which I see as two similar effects.  

It's a little strange for me to be drinking tea this good.  I can tell what it is, and can appreciate it, but I also have a rough and basic palate, so that I can also appreciate and love tea experience way at the other end of the spectrum.  This would make more sense for people who try to only drink the best possible teas, not that it's off-putting that it's this good.  It's just two whole levels better than I really need to drink to see a tea as pleasant.

Third infusion:  I'll probably cut these notes short for a new reason, not because I'm rushed this morning, or because I'm tired of listing out ideas, but just to appreciate the tea without writing. It's a rare pleasant cool morning (72 F now, so 23 C or so) and I'm having tea outside to get the most from that, and to get further from the noise of my kids.

The tea isn't transitioning beyond the balance of aspects shifting a bit, with floral, cinnamon, aromatic perfume-like range, and other mild vegetal background changing in proportion.  That initial roasted chestnut faded to a nice background tone, one that complements the rest really well.  The vegetal range is along the lines of a touch of green wood.  For once maybe I really feel "cha qi;" who knows.  Hearing family shouting and rushing to get to the next task don't lend to noticing subtle shifts in internal state.  

I'm behind on turning post drafts into finished versions too; I could touch up a couple instead of straining to see how this tea shifts slightly over three more rounds.

Fourth infusion:  some of the pronounced and distinctive flavors might be fading a little but the warmth and depth seems to increase.  This will be amazing for a significant number of further rounds.

Fifth infusion:  on that last round it could've been that I let those leaves get a bit cool while finishing another post (on trying two really nice Laos sheng; you should check that out).   Since it is actually cool outside that might've affected brewing temperature.  

I talk like I'm brewing tea in the snow but it's probably moving up towards 74 F now, so almost up to 25 C, what we consider to be room temperature.  Trying the tea this round it seems to just be transitioning.  Cinnamon and floral is fading some but mineral depth picks up a lot, and a richness in feel and general character is as strong as ever.  That "rock" taste really comes out.  I think after 3 or 4 more very positive rounds this will turn a bit woodier, still ok but not what it has been.  Of course if someone pushed the brewing proportion less, and used longer infusion times, all of that would've played out much faster. 

Conclusion:

As good as tea tends to get, per what I ever experience.  Part of what is strange about experiencing that, as I mentioned, is that I'm mostly on sheng pu'er these days, and tend to drink black tea next beyond that.  It's odd mostly just dabbling in oolong these days (years) and then drinking something this exceptional.  It's fantastic to experience, of course, a little like rediscovering good tea again every time.

you can't tell from this but I think the long hair is starting to work better