Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Why these two get confused
Japanese and Taiwanese black tea, both from countries better known for other categories. Ruby 18's menthol note is genetic; wakoucha is usually Yabukita processed as black tea and tastes quite different.
Point by point
| Dimension | Wakoucha | Ruby 18 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Black tea · fully oxidised | Black tea · fully oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. bud and two leaves and summer harvest. | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. bud and two leaves and summer harvest. |
| Origin | Japan — Shizuoka | Taiwan |
| Flavour | fruity and sweet. light and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: baked apple, honey, light malt, sweet potato. Moderate in character. Delicate in intensity. | spice, sweet and woody. full bodied and smooth in the mouth. Aroma: mint, cinnamon, sassafras, dark honey. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 88–93 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 88–93 °C, first steep 180s. Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 4–5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 10s of 5 authored. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who prefers a quiet cup they can drink through an afternoon and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.