Rou Gui Cinnamon Oolong from Mandala Tea

Rou Gui Cinnamon Oolong

Tea type
Oolong Tea
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Nutty, Roasted, Almond, Caramel, Cinnamon, Cloves, Dried Fruit, Fruity, Ginger, Mineral, Nuts, Plum, Roasted Nuts, Vanilla, Brown Toast, Spices, Toast, Smooth, Apple, Autumn Leaf Pile, Butter, Cream, Earth, Floral, Honey, Honeysuckle, Milk, Raisins, Wet Earth, Wet Rocks
Sold in
Not available
Caffeine
Not available
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by kimquat
Average preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 0 min, 30 sec 7 g 9 oz / 273 ml

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From Our Community

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7 Want it Want it

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15 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I’m trying to make room in my cupboard, so I’m going back and drinking down teas that are close to finished! I’d like to make this a Saturday sipdown; I’ve only got one TB of this left. Yeesh, my...” Read full tasting note
  • “Wow. This oolong sample has overcome old age, sloppy storage, and ham-handed western steeping in a bag with an office kettle, and still shines. Roasty, toasty, with a classy hint of spice. I should...” Read full tasting note
  • “Got this one as a sample. It was roasty and smooth, not anything to make it stand out from other Wuyi Oolongs. I bet this would go well with grandpa style brewing. I might stick with big red robe...” Read full tasting note
    79
  • “Busy day and I have more so hopefully I can add to this review. Preliminary thoughts: Nice almond notes, as well as the spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger. Stays true to the Wuyi oolong rock...” Read full tasting note
    85

From Mandala Tea

First flush spring leaves are picked and roasted for this classic “rock” or “cliff” style tea which comes from the Wu Yi Mountains in Fujian Province, China. This stunning area has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the abundance of different species and cultural importance of its tea growing tradition.

Rou Gui translates literally to cinnamon or cassia. The dry leaves give a distant impression of the spice and once they are rinsed it becomes more apparent. Short gong fu-style steepings produce a clear and peach-hued liquor. This oolong earns its nick name with magnificent almond milk, toast, and cinnamon flavors that persist in the mouth after each sip. We find ourselves picking up the gaiwan again and again to behold this mesmerizing tea.

Basic Brewing Instructions:
-Do a 5-10 second rinse with the same temperature water as used for brewing.
-195˚ F water temperature.
-Use 1 generously heaping tablespoon per 8oz. of filtered water.
-Recommended early steepings of 30 seconds, adding time as desired.

About Mandala Tea View company

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15 Tasting Notes

1040 tasting notes

The Lovely TeaFairy was drinking this earlier and found apple and peach. She brewed it gongfu style, so I decided to go the other way and see what I found.
I steeped half the sample (about 4g) in my 10oz yixing mug with 90C water for 4 minutes.
This is an odd little tea. It is oolong, there is no doubt about that. It has subtle woody notes, a few slight mineral tones, and there is no doubt about the cinnamon. Sweet gentle cinnamon. The second steep wasn’t really woody, still a little mineral, still some cinnamon, but I was getting some fruit (more grape to me).
This is interesting – I don’t think I’ve had anything quite like it. That’s what I love about Mandala, Garret seems to be able to find unusual and interesting teas. Thanks so much for sending this sample to me. I’m going to steep the rest of the sample with short steeps and see what the difference is.
5 comments
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yyz
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Mmm. I love Round Gui!

yyz
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Rou Gui! (Autocorrect attacks again).

MzPriss
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I have a sample of this I need to try. I’m interested to know which way you like it best Dexter

TheTeaFairy
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No cinnaNOM for me :-(

Dexter
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I’m going to short steep the rest of the sample tonight (if it’s not too hot) and see if I get the apple peach that you were tasting. Western style – definitely cinnamon.

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92
Recommended
359 tasting notes

I don’t think I’ve ever had such a fruity oolong before. This is amazing.

I thought I would be able to identify cinnamon notes, but quite frankly, my taste buds don’t seem to pick up cinnamon much at all.

What I do get is lots of apple and peach. Oh, this is oven baked apple and peach cobbler with honey drizzle!

It’s lightly roasted and nutty, smooth, sweet and creamy, no astringency present at all.

I also get a faint earthiness mixed with some minerals…not strong minerals like from a giant rock or something, very gentle…like pebble minerals :-)

I really like this…pure oolong awesomeness.

Thank you so much Garret for this generous sample…

I love that your samples are always large enough to brew gongfu style.
28 comments
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SarsyPie
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Oh my… this sounds just yummy! Love the review!

TheTeaFairy
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Thanks Sars…I think I may need some of this in the cupboard…sigh.

Dexter
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Awesome!!! Really happy that you enjoyed it, and really happy that it’s more apple, peach than cinnamon. This was the sample that I asked for with the order I received today!!!

mj
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This does sound amazing! You always sell me on the teas you review though :), except the greens…but that’s not your fault!

TheTeaFairy
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Dex, how funny that we both requested the same sample! I can’t wait to have your impressions. I’m surprised I did not get cinnamon…but I don’t care, that apple taste is so good and juicy.

Mj, lol, I know you haven’t crossed to the green side yet :-)

Dexter
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Fairy – how did you steep this? Did you gongfu it or did you western brew it? Parameters?

Dexter
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Is ok mj – stay with us over here on the dark side – that green stuff is scary. ;))

TheTeaFairy
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Gongfu gaiwan. 4 oz water and it was perfect. Now I don’t remember how long, but I think I did 20s, 30, 60, 90, and then lost track. I’m terrible with that, sorry. Did about 6 steeps. Are you trying tonight?

SarsyPie
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Dark siiiiiide. We don’t drink grass here! :p

TheTeaFairy
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Lol, if you don’t drink it, what do you do with it? (Innocent face)

SarsyPie
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Mow it? :p

mj
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You don’t know the power of the Dark Side. I must obey my master.

TheTeaFairy
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I’m an imposter…I play both sides, and I,m loving every minute of it….cause I want ALL THE TEA!!!!

Dexter
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I’m going to go the other way and western steep it in my yixing mug. I’m going to use about half the sample and do about 3-4 minutes – see if that gives a different flavor profile. Will be back….. (if I drink this tonight I don’t need to enter it into my spreadsheet)

TheTeaFairy
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Lol you know you’re addicted to tea when….?

Dexter
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LOL You know you are overwhelmed with tea when….
(How am I suppose to enter "from my personal stash 2006 ripe from Yong De area?)

TheTeaFairy
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The joy of spreadsheets :-o

Dexter
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OHHHH I found cinnamon…. this is odd – good but strange….

TheTeaFairy
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Yay, you found it!

Sil
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i love that dexter really does have to “find” her teas…

Cheri
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I’m with you, TTF. I like both the dark and the light side. The dark is new for me, though.

Krystal
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This sounds really good

TheTeaFairy
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Krystal, it is hard to find a Mandala tea that isn’t!

SarsyPie
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I found one once!

No wait. That was something else. Nevermind. :p

TheTeaFairy
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See??? Lol.

Krystal
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Yes I am just finding this out now Tea Fairy! But bettet late than never

Krystal
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Better*

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85
Recommended
1118 tasting notes

(From the Unflavored Traveling Tea Box)

A very enjoyable Oolong. The taste is toasty with a steady cinnamon note and bit of a mineral flavor. I’ve had four steeps of this so far, and the flavor has been consistent with each cup. I’ve been enjoying this one so much that I haven’t tried any other teas today!
Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 45 sec 3 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
4 comments
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Cheri
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That’s one of the things I love about a good oolong. I can sit and drink it for hours, the same leaves.

Cameron B.
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Ooh I’ve never heard of a cinnamon oolong… That sounds amazing.

Veronica
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@Cheri – Sometimes I get bored with them and give up on the leaves before they’re truly spent. I should remember to cold steep them, but I always forget. Won’t be an issue with this tea though. :)

@ Cameron B. – This was my first cinnamon oolong. I was impressed!

TheTeaFairy
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Oh, I just requested a sample with yesterday’s order, now I can’t wait to spend an afternoon with it!

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