2023 Su Xin Lan Yancha - Zheng Yan Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea

Su Xin Lan (素心兰) is a rare and distinctive cultivar in the Wuyi rock tea family. This historical variety, recorded in the Wuyi Rock Tea Catalog, has remained relatively unknown due to its low yield and the challenges of cultivation. Over time, it was replaced by more popular varieties in many tea gardens. Thanks to efforts from leading brands like Rui Quan, this remarkable variety has made a resurgence in the Chinese market, with Rui Quan selling their handmade Su Xin Lan at about five dollars per gram. Despite its growing popularity in China, Su Xin Lan remains exceedingly rare in international markets.

This Su Xin Lan rock tea is charcoal-baked to a medium-high roast, offering a tea with depth and a full-bodied texture. The tea’s defining feature is its pure floral aroma, particularly its prominent orchid-like fragrance, which seamlessly integrates with the tea’s rich liquor. The scent lingers in the cup, enhancing the overall tea experience. With each infusion, the tea delivers a smooth, mellow sweetness and a lasting freshness that coats the throat. Even after five infusions, the floral sweetness endures, while a refreshing aftertaste emerges after the seventh infusion, and the lingering flavor persists beyond the eighth.

Grown in Ye Zhu Ling (Wild Boar Ridge), a secluded area within the Wuyishan National Park, this tea benefits from the region’s protected ecological environment, which is known for its rich biodiversity. Named after the frequent wild boar sightings in the area, Ye Zhu Ling is located near Fo Guo Yan in the northern part of the scenic reserve. While the elevation within the Zheng Yan area is relatively low, it is the unique terroir and distinctive rocky terrain of the Wuyi Mountains that impart the tea's rich depth, known as "rock bones."