Rou Gui, fragrant and dominant
2023-09-21, Author: Xu Maoxing
Master Zhou with his Special "Waterfall" Rou Gui.
Rou Gui is the master variety of Wuyi rock tea, rich and domineering, fragrant and charming, rigid and soft, mellow and sweet, with a unique cinnamon taste and spicye. Jiang Yu's "Tea Song" said that "the natural true taste of the strange species exists, and the Mu Gua is slightly drunk and the Gui is slightly spicy", “Gui” here referring to Rou Gui.
Rou Gui contains rich ingredients, water extract (such as polyphenolic compounds, soluble pectin and protein, water-soluble pigments, etc.), ether extract (such as geraniol, terpenes, etc. aromatic substances closely related to tea aroma) are above other varieties, and the content of amino acids, monosaccharides and disaccharides is more. The composition and content of various catechins are coordinated, the synergistic effect of catechins and carbohydrates in tea polyphenols, rich in sucrose, maltose and other easily soluble sugars can reduce the astringency of tea polyphenols, giving Rou Gui mellow and spicy, back sweet and shengjin taste characteristics.
Why is Rou Gui so fragrant?
In the book "Biochemical Characteristics of Wuyi Rou Gui Famous Conglomerate" edited by Rock Tea Taidou Yao Yueming, experimental research and result analysis were made on the high aroma of Rou Gui: first, there are many types of aroma; second, the aroma content is high, and the aroma substances are twice that of narcissus; third, the proportion of aroma substances with high boiling point is high, such as geraniol, methyl salicylate, phenylacetonitrile and n-butyric acid, etc. are all aroma substances with high boiling point of Rou Gui tea.
Due to the different factors such as picking time, picking tenderness, greening, roasting degree and storage conditions, Rou Gui has a "fickle" aroma, with partial floral aroma, partial fruity aroma, Rou Gui bark aroma, and floral and fruity aroma. This just gives tea lovers with different taste preferences more choices.
The effect of the greening process on the aroma. Rou Gui is a semi-fermented tea that takes several hours to ferment before it is finished. The fermentation process is crucial, directly affecting the aroma and taste of tea, and the aromatic substances in the tea are transformed, and the original green taste will gradually be transformed into a pleasant tea aroma.
If the fermentation time is short and low, the interaction between the aromatic substances contained in the tea is not obvious. Those aromatic substances with a "floral" flavor dominate the aroma, so the lightly fermented Rou Gui is more floral and fragrant.
If the fermentation time is extended and the degree of fermentation is increased, the aromatic substances will begin to reorganize and influence each other. Those fruity aromatic substances dominate, so that the heavily fermented Rou Gui appears fruity, often peach or ripe nut.
The effect of roasting on aroma. The purpose of rock tea roasting is twofold: to consolidate the aroma and enhance the aroma.
In addition to the distinction of aroma type, the aromatic substances contained in tea also have a difference in boiling point. Generally, aromatic substances with low boiling point are mostly floral and fruity.
The degree of roasting affects the production of aromatic substances. The roasting temperature is low, the time is short, and the excitation is low boiling point aromatic substances. Therefore, the general light fire gong rock tea is mainly based on refreshing floral aromas, such as orchid fragrance, gardenia fragrance, lily fragrance and so on. This is a common denominator for all light fire rock teas, and Rou Gui is no exception.
When the roasting temperature is increased and the roasting time is extended, the aromatic substances with low boiling point gradually volatilize, and the aromatic substances with high boiling point begin to appear. So those fruity aromatic substances begin to come alive, and this Rou Gui has a fruity or even milky aroma.
Why is there so much aroma of Rou Gui?
Picking largely determines the aroma type of Rou Gui, such as tender picking is prone to creamy aroma, mid-open picking is prone to floral aroma, and old picking is prone to fruity aroma. Light fermentation, light roasting, Rou Gui is floral aroma; heavy fermentation, heavy roasting, Rou Gui is fruity; light and medium fire Rou Gui flower fragrance is obvious, mainly showing osmanthus and gardenia flower aroma; Rou Gui fruit aroma of medium foot fire is obvious, mainly the aroma of some compound fruits. To sum up, Rou Gui has six fragrance types:
1. The fragrance of Cinnamon. The spiciness is obvious, the stimulation is strong, the fragrance is long-lasting, and the taste is strong. Cinnamon aroma is the aroma of Rou Gui varieties, no matter which mountain or which mountain Rou Gui, there is this aroma, the ultimate of Rou Gui is "big Cinnamon taste". The Rou Gui of traditional Rou Gui is distinct, and the good ones have a milky smell, and there is still a lingering aroma after brewing six or seven times. The aroma of Rou Gui has a lot to do with the heat of the roasting fire.
2. The fragrance of flowers. The aroma breath is rich and sweet, the sweetness is obvious, and the taste is sweet. The floral aroma of Rou Gui is similar to that of magnolia, osmanthus or gardenia, and there are some indescribable floral aromas, which are different from the aromas of narcissus, recense, and chilan.
3. Fruity aroma. It is represented by the peach aroma, which can be achieved by heavy fermentation during production, and the re-fermented Rou Gui is fruity after baking. When tasting fruity Rou Gui, the first few dishes are fruity, then floral and finally woody. Different fruity aromas are mainly related to the production process.
4. Creamy aroma. The creamy aroma of Rou Gui is often accompanied by fruity and floral aromas, with a sweet fat powder aroma, which makes people feel rich and sweet like fresh milk after drinking. Generally, it cannot be experienced through smell, but through taste, feel the sweet fat powder feeling, and the throat is cool.
5. Caramel aroma. The caramel aroma is like the aroma of sugar melted in high temperature, with a sweet aroma with a hint of fire, like the aroma of freshly fried white melon seeds or roasted nuts. When roasting rock tea, as the roasting temperature increases, the richness of the caramel aroma will gradually increase.
6. Woody fragrance. Slowly appearing after all the aromas fade out, this is the aroma of the tea itself. Generally, after 4-5 bubbles, the bottom of the leaf will be more obvious. It is strongly related to the age of the tree and the environment in which it grows.
The aroma of Rou Gui can effectively counteract other unpleasant tastes, such as bitterness and sourness. This makes Rou Gui tea an extremely popular drink due to its ability to enjoy sweetness and aroma without the need for added sugar or honey.
The domineering nature of Rou Gui
Those who taste Wuyi Rou Gui tea for the first time, their domineering identification code is deeply imprinted in the heart of tea people. Rou Gui will have a slight bitterness when ingested, but it generally returns quickly and retains a long rhyme. The word domineering is applied to the taste of Rou Gui, indicating that the tea soup has a strong aura and is well built and powerful, which is diametrically opposed to feelings such as gentle and feminine.
Drinking Zhengyan Rou Gui produced in mountain places such as Tianxinyan, Matouyan, and Liu Guanzhai, feels like a heroic "general", the tea soup is strong after drinking in the mouth, and even a little strong, which can make waves in the mouth. After swallowing the soup, I still feel that the Rou Gui fragrance is wild. After four or five courses, the taste sense of domineering does not decrease, and after six or seven courses, the domineering gradually fades out, only staying in the initial tongue, the spicy taste gradually turns into osmanthus fragrance, and the pure and beautiful tea aroma penetrates out. With the decomposition of the cinnamon like smell by the nasal cavity, the signal to stimulate the sense of smell weakens, and the rich Rou Gui fragrance immersed in the tea is gradually weakening.
The long-term sweetness of Rou Gui is like the ideal of life that a person chases and obtains desperately, like the sweetness of Rou Gui after the sharp and domineering taste. The domineering spirit of Rou Gui contains the enthusiasm of Wuyi mountain tea people, enough to capture the identification memory of tea customers, many tea customers drink Rou Gui, rich domineering occupies the identification system of evaluating tea, in the future, they will choose tea to define Chinese tea with Rou Gui, taste the ever shifting numerous styles of taste and aroma.