2024 Gui Fei Red Oolong Tea

It’s bright, juicy, and straightforward Gui Fei Oolong. It is significantly different in profile from the 2020 tea, as it’s made in a different factory.

Its overall profile includes creamy pastry, brioche, strawberry jam, and, of course, honey. I’d call it wild honey – we have a lot of wild honey in Thailand, so these tones are very familiar to me. Rinsed, tea envelops with mulled wine and cognac vapors. Cinnamon and a mix of spices for mulled wine evoke a strong salivation response.

The dominant taste intertwines dark chocolate with fruity jam creating a multifaceted, vibrant tea. Something unusual about it is a hint of Dong Ding – baked pastry with nuts. Generally, chocolate and nutty notes are often found in red water oolongs, but here we have it all: hong shui, dong ding, and the honey melody of Gui Fei that occupies the entire second layer of the flavor. Then, you can observe buttery and creamy tones in the aftertaste – a long, oily aftertaste.

This red Gui Fei has virtually no astringency; it drinks easily and smoothly, and it shows remarkable endurance to multiple infusions, speaking to the rich Thai soil and organic production.

The tea provides a distinctly perceptible alertness without overwhelming headiness. An excellent dessert bug-bitten oolong.

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