Just a rank below the empress, Yang Gui Fei, known for her unrivalled beauty and footprints she left behind in Chinese history is the woman shown in this painting. Since her pre-mature death, her beauty can only be inferred from old records and ancient paintings. Many of her namesakes began to emerge in Chinese society. Gui Fei chicken, a yummy dish remembered for its trademark liquorice flavour and Gui Fei Oolong tea, a new addition to my growing list of teas that I have sniffed, tasted, enjoyed and strongly recommend.
This slow roasted oolong tea is refreshingly light and flavoursome at the same time - tea and water fused seamlessly. In combination with its dewy sweetness and pure aftertaste, I would like to coin this the fruit juice of teas. 
With 3 grams of this tea brewed in a Gaiwan, I can obtain at least 4 standard infusions in one session. Generally, I would allow for a 5th infusion, leaving the tea to steep for an extended period of time and returning to it after an hour or so. The result is a cooler, more concentrated version of this tea - the perfect thirst quencher. 
The guifei I've tried so far are not all that heavily roasted. Speaking of heavy roasting, hongshui isthe type of oolong which comes to my mind. To me guifei tea is characterized by its intense oxidation - which corresponds to the fruitiness you speak of. But lately I've not had a lot of oolong, so I don't claim to have it al sorted out correctly.
ReplyDeleteYummy tea sessions to you !
Gero, I believe you are spot on here with your observations. This Gui Fei oolong is as roasted as in the hong shui oolong process, but it's higher level of oxidation has rendered it fruitier and roasting is overshadowed.
DeleteBeautiful painting! And I look forward to trying this tea.
ReplyDeleteThis is one tea that certainly tastes as good as the painting looks ;-)
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