Guo Xiang Rou Gui
Regular price
$26.00
Frequently Asked Questions
Control humidity: Avoid storing tea in conditions that are either too dry or too humid.
Keep it cool: Store tea in a cool place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Keep in mind that display cabinet lights can also produce heat.
Protect from light: Avoid using transparent containers whenever possible.
Limit exposure to air: Keep tea well sealed and avoid opening the container more often than necessary.
After we receive your order, we will process your package within 48 hours and hand it over to our international shipping partner. We will also send your tracking number by email. At this stage, tracking information may not be available yet.
Once the shipping partner receives the package, it usually takes 1–3 days (excluding Sundays) for them to process and dispatch it. Tracking information will begin to update after the package has been dispatched.
Delivery usually takes around 7–18 days from the date of dispatch.
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What are the “roots” of Rooteas?
Family-made
Wuyi Yancha is what our own family makes in Wuyishan, and it is the tea we work with most closely. We know the growing areas and tea plants firsthand, as well as the decisions that go into processing and roasting. For the small number of other teas we carry, we work with tea-making families we know personally and whose work we know well.
Single-origin
Wuyi Yancha carries the influence of where it is grown. Wuyishan has a particular growing environment shaped by its rocky terrain, soil, climate, sunlight, and moisture, and these conditions are an important part of what makes Wuyi Yancha what it is. Together with cultivar, processing, and roasting, they all play a part in the aroma, texture, and overall character of the finished tea.
Transparency
We try to keep the information about our teas simple and clear. We share where each tea comes from, what tea plant it is made from, and how it was processed and roasted, so you have a clear idea of what you're drinking.
- Name: Guo Xiang Rou Gui (“Fruity Cinnamon”)
- Chinese name & Pinyin: 果香肉桂 guǒ xiāng ròu guì
- Type: Wuyi Rock Oolong
- Origin: Wuyishan, Fujian
- Harvest Time: Spring, 2025
- Roast Level: Medium fire ("zhōng huǒ", "中火")
Click to learn more about our roast levels
- Producer: Xiao Family
- Tasting note: Balanced cinnamon spice, Ripe stone fruit note, Toasted caramel, Dark chocolate
The fruit character in this Rou Gui is settled rather than bright or lively. In the early infusions, it sits alongside a gentle cinnamon note. As the tea opens up, the cinnamon gradually becomes more noticeable, followed by a pleasant returning sweetness.
This more settled fruit character is shaped in part by the way the tea is processed and roasted. We used leaves from tea trees around fifteen years old, when the leaves tend to have a more balanced composition. During zuò qīng (“leaf shaking and resting,” 做青), repeated rounds of yáo qīng (“leaf shaking,” 摇青) and resting gradually build oxidation and help bring out the fruit character of the Rou Gui cultivar. The tea is then charcoal roasted three times over medium heat. Through roasting, that fruit character becomes deeper and riper, rather than bright or especially lively.
About Rou Gui
Rou Gui (“肉桂”), also known as Yu Gui (“玉桂”), is one of Wuyi’s traditional cultivars. It takes its name from the sharp, spice-like aroma in the tea, reminiscent of cinnamon. The large-scale promotion of Rou Gui as a tea cultivar in the modern sense began in the 1980s. In 1985, it was officially recognized as a Fujian provincial elite cultivar, and with support from government subsidies, research institutions, and growing market demand, it quickly spread in cultivation. Today, it has become one of the most widely planted and representative cultivars of Wuyi yancha.
Tea: 8g
Gaiwan: 110–150ml
Water Temperature: 100°C / 212°F
(When possible, use spring water, purified water, or good-quality mineral water. Avoid using very hard water)
Use flash steeping (pour out the tea in about 3s). Do not oversteep. As the flavor begins to fade, extend each infusion by 5–10s as needed.
Note: Be sure to pour out the tea soup completely after each infusion. Do not let it sit in the gaiwan.
(Adjust the tea amount and steeping time to suit your own taste.)
