Wuyi yen cha can be categorized into three groups, according to the locations of the plantations:

Zheng-Yen : The yen cha is from a plantation located inside the Scenic District of Wuyi Shan, average elevation 650m. This is where the orthodox and very limited yen cha were produced. The soil in this district is gravelly and rich in minerals. The warm and humid climate keeps the tea trees well hydrated while the roots can breath easily. This Terroir contributes to the ethereal and spirited (or, dynamic) taste of yen cha. The picture below shows a plantation inside this District:

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source: www.wuyishan.gov.cn

Ban-Yen : “Ban” means “half, in the middle of”. This refers to plantations on terraces just outside the Scenic District, a transition from zheng-yen to zhou-cha.

Zhou-Cha : This is where the bulk of yen cha are produced. Zhou means “outside the limit” in chinese. So this says “tea from outside the District limit”. But another way of writing Zhou in chinese means “terrace”. Elevation usually 100~400m high. Tea from these locations sometimes lack enough characters, so not uncommon they have to be darkly roasted to enhance the taste and structure.

Guang

Wuyi yen cha can be categorized into three groups, according to the locations of the plantations:

Zheng-Yen : The yen cha is from a plantation located inside the Scenic District of Wuyi Shan, average elevation 650m. This is where the orthodox and very limited yen cha were produced. The soil in this district is gravelly and rich in minerals. The warm and humid climate keeps the tea trees well hydrated while the roots can breath easily. This Terroir contributes to the ethereal and spirited (or, dynamic) taste of yen cha. The picture below shows a plantation inside this District:

>
source: www.wuyishan.gov.cn

Ban-Yen : “Ban” means “half, in the middle of”. This refers to plantations on terraces just outside the Scenic District, a transition from zheng-yen to zhou-cha.

Zhou-Cha : This is where the bulk of yen cha are produced. Zhou means “outside the limit” in chinese. So this says “tea from outside the District limit”. But another way of writing Zhou in chinese means “terrace”. Elevation usually 100~400m high. Tea from these locations sometimes lack enough characters, so not uncommon they have to be darkly roasted to enhance the taste and structure.

Guang

Recently I had some interesting conversations with a good client about the Hong Shui Oolong. We both found its aroma/taste to be surprisingly similar to Wuyi yen cha. This triggers me to look back the history of Hong Shui oolong, and the history of Taiwan's oolong in general.

In our August Newsletter, we discussed the origin of Taiwan's oolong. Let me display the map showing the bloodlines again:

Wuyi yen cha is a high-oxidized (>50%) type of oolong. Its roasting degree may vary from light to heavy, depends on the cultivars and the target of consumers. Anxi Tie Guan Yin, relatively, is lighter oxidized; roasting degree can vary from light to heavy, too.

Wuyi yen cha is in the stripe shape, and Anxi Tie Guan Yin is in the round/ball shape.

Hong Shui Oolong is in the round/ball shape, but highly oxidized (60%) and of light/slow roasting degree. See the interesting crossover – or, marriage? Hong Shui oolong is the child of a happy marriage of the processing skills from Wuyi and Anxi.

The birthplace of Hong Shui oolong is Lu Gu, Nan Tou, in central part of Taiwan. This region inherits their oolong processing skill from Anxi. But later the Soft-Stem oolong cultivar from Wuyi became more popular in Taiwan than the Tie Guan Yin cultivar. I guess in certain point of time the cultivar brought the Wuyi oolong concept into the central part of Taiwan. Hence the birth of Hong Shui Oolong.

This batch of Hong Shui oolong was from a plantation in Dong-Ding, which has very similar weather and elevation conditions to Wuyi: Dong-Ding is about 700m high, and the average elevation in Wuyi is 650m. Both places are at approximately the same latitude, but different soil conditions. Hong Shui Oolong was made from a traditioal cultivar from Wuyi hundreds years ago. Same high oxidation. While you can certainly find “Wuyi” in Hong Shui oolong, some things are different: the Hong Shui has an intense sugarcane-y sweetness in the aroma and good roundness in taste. Wuyi yen cha (good ones, of coz) is more airy and floral, thick but not as round.

I guess we can use the concept of Terroir to understand the differences in them.

The redness in Hong Shui's liquor and the charismatic floral aroma are on a par with Wuyi Da Hong Pao. Try for yourself : )

You can see Phyll's tasting note of Hong Shui here.

Guang