What kind of tea is Wuyi Rock Tea? Is it Pu’er tea?

Wuyi Oolong Tea, Chinese Oolong Tea / By /

A tea lover asks: I recently tried a tea in Hong Kong called Wuyi Rock Tea. The liquor looked quite dark, and the taste didn’t resemble Pu’er or black tea at all—it also tasted vastly different from oolong tea. What kind of tea is Wuyi Rock Tea, and where can I buy it in Taiwan?

What type of tea is Wuyi Yancha?

Liao Chang Xing replies: "What kind of tea is Wuyi Yancha?"

Wuyi Yancha (Wuyi Rock Tea) is a branch of Wuyi tea from Fujian. It belongs to the oolong tea category with a medium fermentation level of about 35-55%. During post-processing, it undergoes a roasting stage, typically requiring high-temperature baking. Some traditional charcoal roasting methods even take 6 to 12 hours. As a result, the flavor and appearance of Wuyi Yancha differ significantly from Taiwan’s lightly fermented oolong teas, leaning closer to Tieguanyin.

Common tea tree varieties include Rougui, Shuixian, Dahongpao, Tieluohan, Baijiguan, Shuijingui, Guazijin, Jinyaoshi, and Bantanyao. In recent years, Rougui, Dahongpao, and Shuixian have become the most popular. Niulankeng Rougui, also known as “Niurou” (Beef), and Matouyan Rougui, known as “Marou” (Horse Meat), are the two most expensive types of Wuyi Yancha.

What type of tea is Wuyi Yancha?
What type of tea is Wuyi Yancha?

Where can you buy Wuyi Yancha in Taiwan?

Due to Taiwan’s import regulations, oolong tea from Mainland China cannot be imported, so Wuyi Yancha is generally not available for purchase in Taiwan. A small amount is brought back by travelers visiting China. Additionally, some tea-growing regions in Taiwan still cultivate Wuyi tea varieties; places like Pinglin, Zhushan, and Alishan still have farmers growing Shuixian and Foshou tea. You can inquire locally whether they process these using medium to heavy roast Wuyi tea methods.

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