For the 2021 February Old Ways Tea Club box we got three teas: 2020 Zhengyan Rou Gui, 2020 Mom’s Pick Teji Rou Gui, and a big bag of 2020 Winter tea. Let’s start drinking!
2020 Zhengyan Rou Gui
Cutting open the tea package releases a strong roasted and nutty scent.
Zero hoots were given, so I filled the gaiwan, so my gongfu ratio clocked in at around 1 gram per 12.5ml for all these teas unless otherwise noted. After a rinse, the hot leaves have a sweet nutty scent.
I had a problem pegging down this tea, it is so smooth and easy to drink. 2020 Zhengyan Rou Gui is dark, plummy, and oak woody, with a crystalline mineral sweetness. The wood is so sweet, smooth, and easy to drink that I was chugging and chugging without writing. All with a lot of energy coming with this oolong to get me pumped up to chug more.
Through all nine infusions, this tea held onto woodsy and fruity notes, with some slight astringency drying out my tongue.
2020 Mom’s Pick Teji Rou Gui
This tea has a deep rich roasted scent, and after a rinse, the leaves are creamy, nutty, and fruity.
I drank the rinse, it is strong! Teji Rou Gui is a nutty roast to almost bitter strength, with a caramel plum finish and sweet nutty lingering flavor. The texture is creamy and the lingering aftertaste is great. I got distracted by youtube and noticed a plummy fruity bloom.
With each steeping, Teji Rou Gui gets fruitier, minerally, and sweet. The aftertaste becomes more clearer that it is purple skinned dark plums. Until the tea fades at the seventh infusion.
Lower Gongfu Leaf to Vessel Ratio: I wasn’t totally happy with my brewing as it was hella strong. There were some leftovers in a single bag, so this ratio clocked in at 1gram per 20ml. Teji Rou Gui is buttery caramel, boiled floral cinnamon, with a plummy finish and aftertaste. After five infusions, this fine Rou Gui fades to minerals and plums, silvery smooth and soft. It is much better, almost elegant, and I got close to the same amount of resteeps as a higher ratio gongfu style.
2020 Winter Tea from 2021 February Old Ways Tea Club
The leaves have a sweet nutty roasted scent to them. Rinsed, Winter tea has a zesty fruity scent.
2020 Winter tea is a bit watery, but the flavor is there. This tea is buttery, nutty, a bit underripe plummy, and gentle zesty vegetal finish, to return to a milky plum aftertaste. Some sips have a lemon curd note. Each infusion got a bit more sour, astringent, and bitter.
Winter tea steeped out fast, I got five infusions before it started drying out the back of my throat harshly.
Lazy / Grandpa Style: Not quite content with gongfu style, I tried the 2020 Winter tea with a leaf in extended steep. This Winter tea is smooth, almond, and lemon curd sweet, the majority of the flavor is nutty. The texture comes out more as creamy and there is a peep of plum aftertaste. This does go astringent and a bit bitter, so this is one I wouldn’t steep too long or refill too much.
Right now, I preferred the 2021 February Old Ways Tea Club 2020 Winter tea as lazy style as it came out smooth and hid the flaws of it being a watery winter tea. It might lose the waterness with some age, but these winter teas tend to be lighter.
Of all the teas in the 2021 Old Ways Tea Club, it is a tie between the Rou Gui for which I like best. A few boxes into the Old Ways Tea club and I’m pleased with the ratio of high-end and daily drinkers.
