Hongxing Rougui | Wuyi Zhengyan Rock Oolong — Pure Cinnamon, Fruit-Sweet & Powerfully Mineral

Hongxing Rougui · 红星肉桂

Hongxing is a genuine Zhengyan (true rock) mountain site within Wuyi, where sandstone cliff-face soil gives the tea an unmistakably raw, powerful rock-tea character. The mineral foundation is not subtle here — it is the backbone of every sip.

This Rougui expresses cinnamon at its most direct: high, pure, and clearly layered with ripe fruit sweetness underneath. The fragrance sinks into the liquor rather than dispersing — a sign of genuine terroir and careful craft.

Tasting Notes

Dry Leaf: Tightly twisted, plump and heavy strips; dark brown to black with an oily, even sheen; substantial and dense in the hand — the native texture of real rock tea
Liquor: Clear orange-red, luminous and penetrating
Aroma: Cinnamon-bark fragrance is prominent and pure, interwoven with ripe fruit sweetness; aroma sinks into the liquor and does not scatter
Palate: Rich and full-bodied; rock rhyme (yanyun) is strong and assertive; cinnamon spice has an appropriate sharpness that is satisfying rather than harsh
Finish: Returning sweetness arrives quickly and forcefully; salivation fills the mouth; persistent cup fragrance; a vivid mountain-site character that holds across many steeps

Why Hongxing?

The Hongxing site sits against rocky cliff faces where sandy, gravelly soil drains freely and forces the tea plant’s roots deep into mineral-rich rock. This stress-driven growth concentrates aromatic compounds and builds structural intensity — producing a Rougui that is bold, authentic, and built to last through many steepings.

Steep Guide

Vessel: Ceramic gaiwan or Yixing clay teapot
Water: 100 °C (212 °F) — full boil
Leaf Amount: 5–7 g
Rinse: Quick rinse with boiling water before the first steep
Steeps 1–4: Quick pour-and-drain
Steeps 5+: Gradually extend steeping time each round to fully release the mountain-site character
Steepability: Rock rhyme and flavor hold strongly across many rounds

$39.90 USD

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Product Description

Hongxing Rougui comes from the Hongxing genuine Zhengyan site in Wuyi Mountain, where sandstone cliff-face and gravelly soil produce a raw, powerful rock-tea character. The dry leaf is tightly twisted, plump and heavy with an oily sheen. The liquor is clear orange-red; the aroma is pure and prominent cinnamon-bark layered with ripe fruit sweetness, sinking into the liquor rather than floating. The palate is rich and full-bodied with strong rock rhyme (yanyun) and an assertive cinnamon spice. Returning sweetness is rapid and forceful; salivation fills the mouth; the mountain-site character holds strongly across many steeps.

Key Features

• Genuine Zhengyan (正岩) origin — Hongxing mountain site, Wuyi, sandstone cliff-face terrain
• Pure, prominent cinnamon-bark fragrance layered with ripe fruit sweetness
• Aroma sinks into the liquor — does not scatter or float on the surface
• Clear orange-red liquor; luminous and penetrating
• Rich, full-bodied palate; strong rock rhyme (yanyun); assertive cinnamon spice
• Rapid, forceful returning sweetness; mouth fills with salivation
• Persistent cup fragrance; vivid mountain-site character across many steeps
• Plump, heavy dry leaf with an oily sheen — the native texture of real rock tea
• Outstanding steepability — rock rhyme holds well into later rounds

Brewing Guidance

Vessel: Ceramic gaiwan or Yixing clay teapot
Water Temperature: 100 °C (212 °F) — full boil
Leaf Amount: 5–7 g

Steeping Guide:
• Rinse: Quick rinse with boiling water before the first steep to open the leaf
• Steeps 1–4: Quick pour-and-drain
• Steeps 5+: Gradually extend steeping time each round to fully release the mountain-site character

Tip: The cinnamon fragrance is at its most vivid in steeps 2–4; from steep 5 onward the mineral rock-bone depth comes forward. Allow each steep to breathe before pouring to let the full aroma develop.