We are Katniss and Alaric, a young couple from the Xiao family in Wuyishan. Our family has long worked mainly with Wuyi rock oolong, along with some Wuyi black tea. Tea-making is still led by Katniss’s uncle, who has spent nearly 30 years working with every stage of processing and roasting.

Being around this work for years has shaped the way we understand rock oolong. We have seen how much the final tea depends not only on the leaves, but also on how they are processed and roasted. Good leaves can still lose their character if the processing is not right, while roasting can either add depth or cover up what is already there. Being around this work has influenced how we think about tea.

For some years, both of us worked regular office jobs, but tea was always part of our lives. Over time, we wanted to spend more of our time working with something we already knew closely, and Rooteas gradually grew from there. Naturally, Wuyi rock oolong made by our own family became the main focus.

Besides the rock oolong made by our own family, we also carry a small number of teas from other tea-making families in Wuyishan and other tea-growing areas in Fujian. Most are families we have known for years, and we have had plenty of chances to drink their teas and see how they are made.

Below, we introduce some of these families, the teas they make, and where they come from.