Wuyi Mei Zhan
An old Fujian cultivar processed as a Wuyi rock tea, and one of the clearest demonstrations that processing rather than botany decides a tea’s category — the same plant makes oolong here, black tea in Tanyang and bud-grade black elsewhere.
Character
Plummier than most yancha, which is cultivar rather than roast. Useful as a direct comparison against the same cultivar made as black tea.
- Flavour
- Fruity, Roasted, Mineral
- Aroma
- Stone fruit, Toasted
- Mouthfeel
- Full bodied, Smooth
- Complexity
- Moderate
- Notes
- plum, toasted grain, mineral
- Aftertaste
- Fruity over mineral.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- China
- Region
- Wuyi Mountains
- Cultivar
- Mei Zhan
- Oxidation
- Partially oxidised
- Roast
- Medium
- Harvest
- Spring
- Processing
- Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Oxidation → Kill-green (fixation) → Strip rolling → Drying → Charcoal roasting
Brewing
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
5–7 g/100 ml · 98–100 °C · 6 authored infusions
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 2 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Wuyi Fo Shou
Two Fujian cultivars processed as rock tea from outside the classic Wuyi varietal set. Both are thick and unusual and neither is widely recognised.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Wuyi rock tea (yancha)
Shares 6 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: roasted, mineral, fruity, full bodied, smooth and toasted.
- Ban Tian Yao
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: fruity, roasted, mineral, smooth and stone fruit.
- Da Hong Pao
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: roasted, mineral, full bodied, smooth and toasted.
- Dong Ding
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: roasted, fruity, full bodied, smooth and toasted.
- GABA oolong
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: fruity, roasted, full bodied, smooth and stone fruit.
- Qi Lan
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: mineral, roasted, full bodied, smooth and toasted.
- Rou Gui
Shares 5 descriptors with Wuyi Mei Zhan: roasted, mineral, fruity, full bodied and stone fruit.