What are the varietal characteristics of Wuyi rock tea? A detailed explanation of each variety's features

There are many varieties of Wuyi rock tea, each with different characteristics; some are fairly distinct, while others differ only slightly. Distinguishing varieties is therefore no easy task, and it requires long-term observation, discrimination and comparison to tell them apart clearly. The methods of distinction are mainly based on the branches, trunks and leaves of the tea plant, and on the appearance, aroma type and taste of the finished tea. Differences in the branches and leaves of the tea plant are relatively easy to distinguish, but differences in aroma type must be judged by smell alone - how subtle, how subtle! Zhang Yuan of the Ming dynasty said in "Records of Tea": fragrance includes true fragrance, orchid fragrance, clear fragrance and pure fragrance. When the outside and inside are each one, it is called pure fragrance; when it is neither raw nor ripe, it is called clear fragrance; when the firing is even, it is called orchid fragrance; when it is fully imbued before the rains, it is called true fragrance; there are also contained fragrance, leaking fragrance, floating fragrance and questioning fragrance - all of these are improper fragrances. Rock tea gives first importance to "rock rhyme" and pays attention to "fragrance, clarity, sweetness and liveliness" as well as sensory pleasures such as "throat rhyme", "mouth base" and "cup-base fragrance". A brief introduction to the characteristics of several main varieties is given below:

Shuixian. Its tree is tall, with upright branches and trunk. The tallest trees reach 3 m, with a canopy of 5 m and a trunk of 11 cm. There are three leaf types: the large-leaved type sprouts early, the slightly longer and narrower type sprouts later, and the nearly round-leaved type sprouts latest. The longest leaf is 11 cm and 8 cm wide; ordinary leaves are 10 cm long and 5 cm wide. The leaf surface is smooth, deep green and glossy, and the veins are thick but inconspicuous, in 8-12 pairs, with relatively deep serrations along the margin. The flowering period is early, with many flowers; the flowers are large, red and white, and do not set fruit easily. The finished tea has thick, stout strips, a greenish-brown, oily and lustrous color with a treasure-like hue, and some leaf backs show sand-like grains. The aroma is rich, pungent and sharp, clear and long, with an "orchid fragrance". The tea liquor tastes strong, mellow and thick, with an obvious throat rhyme and a refreshing returning sweetness; the liquor color is rich and brilliant orange-yellow. It withstands repeated brewing, and the infused leaves are soft and bright with bright red margins. However, it does not keep well in storage. Rougui: the tree reaches 1.6 m high, with a canopy of 1 m and a trunk 3 cm thick. The branches extend upward and spread slightly. The branches and leaves are quite dense, the leaves are thick and crisp and deep green, the leaf surface is smooth, the leaf margin curls inward into a tile-barrel shape, the leaf tip is relatively blunt, and the shape is elliptical. The veins are fine and inconspicuous. The sprouting ability is strong. There are many flowers, and the flowers are small. The finished tea has a tight, compact appearance and a fresh, lustrous greenish-brown color. The aroma is extremely high and sharp, with an obvious cinnamon scent; the best ones carry a creamy fragrance and have an alluring quality, and the aroma remains even after long brewing. The taste is fresh, smooth, sweet and moist; the liquor color is orange-yellow and clear; the infused leaves are yellow and bright with distinct red spots, but it does not withstand many infusions.

Wulong: Wulong is divided into large-leaf and small-leaf types. The large-leaf type reaches 2 m high, with a canopy of 1.95 m and many main trunks. The branches are slightly curved, the veins are fine and inconspicuous, the leaf tip is blunt, and the leaf texture is thick and crisp. The flowering period is late, and its fruiting ability is weak; the tallest small-leaf Wulong reaches 120 cm, with branches and leaves spreading flat. The leaves are deep green, smooth and not glossy, the leaf shape curves downward, and the leaf tip is round and blunt. The main vein is especially obvious. The flowers are very small, red and white. The finished tea has a tight, fine appearance and a dark green color with brown, with a fairly obvious peach aroma; the fragrance is fine and long, with a sense of remoteness. When the tea liquor is held in the mouth, a rich and fragrant taste rushes out through the nose. The taste is extremely sweet and moist, clear, brisk and comfortable, thick but not heavy, lively in color and fragrant, with a cool and clear throat rhyme. The tea liquor is clear and clean, and the liquor color is golden yellow. The infused leaves are soft and bright, with red spots appearing. Foshou: the tree is about 1.4 m high, with a canopy of 1 m. The tree vigor spreads slightly, and the branches are soft and brittle. The leaves are especially large, roughly egg-shaped, wrinkled and uneven, like pear leaves. The leaves are thick, orchid-green, with fine glossy veins; the main vein is thick and conspicuous, and the side veins are slightly inconspicuous and fine. The sprouting ability is relatively weak, and the flowers set fruit poorly or not at all. This variety was brought to Wuyi from Anxi in the early Republic by an Anxi tea merchant (Fangmao Tea House). Its finished tea has a fat, stout, coarse and wrinkled appearance, resembling a spring silkworm. The color is brownish-green, fresh and lustrous, and the aroma is rich yet clear, with an obvious snow pear fragrance. The taste is extremely thick and strong, relatively sweet and moist, with a pear flavor. The liquor color is deep orange with a reddish tint. The infused leaves are coarse, large and yellow-bright, with bright red edges, and the leaf backs have obvious sand-like grains.

Qizhong: also known as "caicha", it is one of the earliest varieties in Wuyi Mountain. Its bushes are very short, and the branches and trunks are relatively thin. It is a sexually propagated variety sown from seed. It has abundant flowers and many seeds and can be used for sowing. Its finished tea has a tight, compact and uniform appearance, an iron-green color with brown, relatively oily and lustrous, with a natural floral fragrance; the fragrance is not strong, being fine and restrained, and the taste is mellow, thick and sweet, with an obvious throat rhyme. The liquor color is orange-yellow and clear. Although the infused leaves are not uniform enough, blending it with other teas can improve the taste. Meizhan: the tree vigor is tall, only slightly lower than Shuixian. The tallest reaches 1.6 m, with a canopy of 1.1 m and quite abundant branching. The leaves are thick and elliptical, deep green in color, deeper than Rougui and clearer than Tieguanyin. The leaf surface is uneven, the two margins spread outward and slightly face upward, the tip is blunt and round and slightly long, and the serrated margin is fine and shallow yet sharp and firm. There are very many flower stamens, and the flowering period is late, with flowering at its fullest in mid-December. The finished tea is relatively coarse and tight, the tea liquor is golden yellow, and the taste is thick and strong and withstands brewing. The aroma is pungent and sharp, but not fine and long enough.