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Many consider the ultimate location for oolongs to be Wuyi Mountains in the northern part of Fujian Province, China. Wuyishan is one of the most popular mountains in that range. Tea farming has been going on there for centuries. A perfect climate (humidity, high rainfall, dense fog, and annual temperatures of 12-18°C). The teas have richly brown leaves that infuse a liquid with a deep tawny brown liquor and an exceptionally smooth flavor and satisfying finish.
These teas are also commonly called “Rock Oolongs” or “Wuyi Rock Oolongs.” The name refers to what is called their unique “charm of rock,” referring to a rock-like aroma that enriches and mellows the flavor plus provides a sweet aftertaste that lingers.
All Wuyi rock Oolong teas have a unique rock tea taste and fragrance which other Oolong teas do not possess. This taste and fragrance can be described by four characteristics: aroma, cleanness, sweetness and animation. Unlike Tie Guan Yin teas, which focus on the high fragrance, Wuyi rock teas concentrate on the taste. That taste is a deep and heavy one which you can feel after drinking the tea liquid while the fragrance provides a background highlight.
Wu Yi Yan Cha (Rock Wulong) is a special subcategory of Wulong tea grown in the vicinity of Wu Yi Shan City in northern Fujian Province, China.
Tea farmers in the Wu Yi Shan area have been producing tea there since around 1650. The area is considered a protected one for its biological diversity and significance as an ancient cultural site. Today, Wu Yi Shan wulong tea, known as “Yan Cha” (Rock Tea), is considered by many to be the pre-eminent style of wulong tea.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), Northern Fujian province became known as the top producer of tribute tea. The teas, as well as the fields and factories where they were made, became widely recognized as the best quality. The tea industry at that time was controlled by the government, which recognized this area as the epicenter. Also at that time all tea was essentially green tea that was compressed into cakes during its manufacture. The compressed tea from Wu Yi Shan was so sought after that it was renowned to be worth more than its weight in gold.
During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), tea masters changed from compressed to loose leaf form, encountering difficulty in retooling their entire production methods, involving things like pan-frying. They attempted to copy techniques from successful tea producers in Anhui. Still, the producers of Wu Yi Shan, being unfamiliar with how to make pan-fired green tea, inadvertently allowed their tea leaves to oxidize. This led to the partially oxidized teas we know as wulong or oolong as well as fully-oxidized black teas at the end of the dynasty. The area still produces the most sought after wulong (its famous Yan Cha) in the world.
Knowing about the growing region helps you understand the Wu Yi Yan Cha qualities. For centuries, tea scholars have studied the areas, including the plant diversity and unique climate. They identified hundreds of varieties of tea bushes, the most famous ones being Da Hong Pao, Tie Luo Han, Bai Ji Guan, and Shui Jin Gui. Bushes said to be the originals of Da Hong Pao are said to be over 350 years old; they are still alive on the cliffs of Wu Yi Shan. These famous teas tend to be produced in small quantities, with most Wu Yi Shan teas coming from surrounding areas, the most common being Rou Gui, a cultivar that some locals rank as better than the more famous teas.
The Wu Yi Shan area has a mineral soil eroded from the volcanic rock faces. A layer of soft red soil lies about 10-40 cm thick on the ground of Wu Yi’s interior. This is the rich terroir that endows the characteristic flavor of Wu Yi tea. That flavor is known as Yan Yun (Rock Rhyme).
The average temperature throughout the year is 18°C, and there is a short frost time that does not kill tea plants. There is also plenty of precipitation, with a shroud of fog being common. Humidity averages 80%, keeping the soil moist which in turn keeps the plants healthy. Minerals continuously leech into the soil from the cliffs. These factors all compensate for the lower elevation of the region (about 650 meters).
Geographically, the area is rocky, with some being the size of a small mountain. The Zheng Yan Cha growing area of Wu Yi mountain is said to have 99 of these large rocks, a small part of the amount overall. Besides tea, the area is home to various myths and legends. One myth says that a princess was separated from her lover by a monster, all three represented by towering rocks. The princess and her lover are two tall monoliths, separated by a large plateau. The monster is the plateau, and it has many valleys scarring it. It is within the monster that the best teas grow, on its back and in the narrow, cliff-sided valleys in between. Rather charming way to describe the area.
The fundamental understanding of a Rock Wulong tea’s quality is the degree to which it exhibits “Yan Yun.” Yan Yun (Rock Rhyme) is the signature character of Wu Yi rock wulong. A combination not only of a tea’s flavor but its fragrance, color, and quality of liquor. This characteristic is a product of the special environment and mineral soil of Wu Yi Shan.
Commercially, Wuyi tea is typed by growing region: