Rou Gui

[chicagopotter]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a decent (non-artificially flavored) Rou Gui? I'd like to try the offerings from Hou De or Jing, but they are a bit out of my price range. Anyone tried the ones from Seven Cups?

[tingjunkie]

I bought some Seven Cups 2007 Light Roast Rou Gui back when it was 50% off. I also got some 50% off '07 Shui Xian and '07 Tie Luo Han at the same time. The Rou Gui was my favorite of the three, and for the price, it was quite decent, but I probably wouldn't go back to buy any at the regular price.

[brandon]

Hou De's is going to need to be put in a tin to chill out for a month or so.
At least it did when they first put it up.

[shah82]

Rou Gui that is well roasted isn't cheap. Tho' I'm really unlikely to buy Hou De's version. Roasted Tie Guan Yin? $30? Fine, but that's really rich for a yancha. But then, it was over $50, best as I can recall, when they offered Da Hong Pao, so...

I guess I'd see if Dragon TeaHouse or FunAlliance had a roasted rou gui. TeaSpring has a fairly greenish Rou Gui.

Be advised, though that the other yanchas that Hou De offers are quite excellent values for the prices, so the shock of how much 2009 Rou Gui costs might just be inflation from people wanting to store a bit a cash somehow and wanted something different than a puerh, maybe...

[wyardley]

Rou Gui that is well roasted isn't cheap. Tho' I'm really unlikely to buy Hou De's version. Roasted Tie Guan Yin? $30? Fine, but that's really rich for a yancha.

Really? I find that well-fired yancha tends to be more expensive than TGY, but good tea of any type is rarely cheap (unless it's free).

In any event, I haven't come across any rou gui that was that like cinnamon / cassia where I thought it could have been artificially scented. Even in the best case, I find that it takes careful brewing to bring out that taste if it comes out at all. I am guessing that if you buy from reputable vendors, the chances it's been scented artificially aren't that high, but who knows.

The Hou De one is decent, but the leaves are small / short and a little broken - I have to force myself to brew with a lighter hand than usual or it doesn't taste that good.

[Tead Off]

Rou Gui that is well roasted isn't cheap. Tho' I'm really unlikely to buy Hou De's version. Roasted Tie Guan Yin? $30? Fine, but that's really rich for a yancha.

Really? I find that well-fired yancha tends to be more expensive than TGY, but good tea of any type is rarely cheap (unless it's free).

So true! I pay $50 for 120g of SX, 10 years old here in Bangkok. But, it is great, great, great.

[shah82]

well, that finickyness was sorta why I didn't think it was such a great value...

I love the Ban Tian Yao because it's not so hard to get consistently good flavor. The Muzha TGY is also very easy to get real pleasure.

I'd also say that TGY seems to be more widely consumed, but the very good stuff tends to be about the same price as the very good yanchas that aren't from the scenic/lao cong bushes.

[brian]

I was drinking the Seven Cups 2009 Premium Rou Gui just yesterday afternoon. Seven Cups site says it is a "traditional medium roast". I'm completely new to oolong, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I thought it was pleasant. Interesting reading through this thread, I wasn't aware of the Rou Gui and cassia connection (now I see they mention the "characteristic cassia aroma" in the description on the seven cups site). First few infusions I didn't notice any cassia, but again, I didn't know to look for it. Took a break for lunch, and I don't know if it was the food I ate or just later infusion, but the one immediately following lunch my first sip I thought wow, there's a bit of cinnamon flavor coming through. A couple of later infusions I didn't notice it, and I was looking for it, so makes me think that my lunch soup opened me up for it. Anyway, it's definitely there in the 2009 from seven cups, but maybe subtle (or at least subtle for me).

Seven Cups does have a rock oolong sampler, that's how I got mine.

[miginaustria]

I have the Houde Rou Gui 2009, and it is not an easy brew. It also needs to rest a while I think, so I have stopped drinking it.
A Rou Gui that I really enjoyed was the one from the Tea Gallery. It really tasted like cinnamon, among many other fruit and spicy notes.

[Maitre_Tea]

not marked down, Seven Cup's prices are a bit too much, considering that their quality is only decent. I haven't had the Rou Gui, but I have had their Shui Jin Gui, which seemed a bit too low-roasted for my tastes. This seems to be the case for many of their teas, and even teas which I associate with high-fire (tie luo han) are medium/low-fired.

Jing probably offers the best value IMO, and I don't think you're likely to find lower prices for good quality tea. For what it's worth, the best Rou Gui I've had came courtesy of Cloudwalker. I would happily drink that rou gui as my yancha of choice for the rest of my life

if only it weren't so expensive

[Tead Off]

not marked down, Seven Cup's prices are a bit too much, considering that their quality is only decent. I haven't had the Rou Gui, but I have had their Shui Jin Gui, which seemed a bit too low-roasted for my tastes. This seems to be the case for many of their teas, and even teas which I associate with high-fire (tie luo han) are medium/low-fired.

Jing probably offers the best value IMO, and I don't think you're likely to find lower prices for good quality tea. For what it's worth, the best Rou Gui I've had came courtesy of Cloudwalker. I would happily drink that rou gui as my yancha of choice for the rest of my life

if only it weren't so expensive

I'm afraid the top grades of wuyi teas are in a different class than most of the wuyi you get online. I wish it weren't so, but, a good wuyi won't be cheap and the difference is clearly discernible when you drink it.

[jktea]

Rou Gui is loved by most of the heavy yancha tea drinkers. according to my tasting experience, good Rougui has light cinnamon aroma, and good sharp, brisk taste in your nose when sipping the tea liquid. But it is not always good Rougui has the cinnamon aroma, sometimes it also has other fruity aroma too.

[Bubba_tea]

I really like the Jing http://www.jingteashop.com/pd-jing-tea- ... a-wyrg.cfm Rou Gui. It's smoother than some other rou gui's I've had. And for $23.60 for 100oz, it's priced great. Oh crud... looks like I might have ordered the last 100oz... sorry!!

[entropyembrace]

Not the yancha everyone is talking about but I had a sampleof the An Xi Rou Gui from Jing Tea Shop a little while ago which I was very impressed with...it´s the same varietal as used for the yancha but it´s grown and processed in An Xi...actually Jing says that the varietal originated in An Xi and was later transplanted to Wu Yi. It had a very creamy mouth feel the aroma to me was a blend of spices including cinnamon with a touch of apple...and that transfered nicely into the taste too

I think next time I order from Jing I will try to get more of the An Xi Rou Gui along with the yancha

[LaybackPandas]

not marked down, Seven Cup's prices are a bit too much, considering that their quality is only decent. I haven't had the Rou Gui, but I have had their Shui Jin Gui, which seemed a bit too low-roasted for my tastes. This seems to be the case for many of their teas, and even teas which I associate with high-fire (tie luo han) are medium/low-fired.

Jing probably offers the best value IMO, and I don't think you're likely to find lower prices for good quality tea. For what it's worth, the best Rou Gui I've had came courtesy of Cloudwalker. I would happily drink that rou gui as my yancha of choice for the rest of my life

if only it weren't so expensive

Right, Sevencups and teahabitat are both ripped offs.