Yu Shan Gui Fei Oolong | oolong tea

Yu Shan High Mountain Gui Fei Oolong

Gui Fei is a distinctive Taiwanese oolong that combines the rounded character of rolled tea with a natural honeyed fragrance. Its name, meaning “Imperial Consort,” is commonly associated with Yang Guifei, the celebrated beauty of the Tang dynasty—a poetic reference to the tea’s rich aroma and graceful character.

Like Oriental Beauty, Gui Fei is made from leaves visited by tiny green leafhoppers. The tea plant’s response to their feeding, followed by careful processing, helps develop the distinctive honey and fruit aromas known as mixiang. The leaves are rolled into compact shapes and roasted in the traditional Gui Fei style, adding warmth and depth to their natural sweetness.

This selection takes a moderately oxidised approach, lighter than many traditional Gui Fei teas, with the leaves retaining a deep green colour. Its aromatic direction centres on wild honey, gentle flowers, and rounded fruit sweetness, supported by a soft roasted warmth. The balance between floral freshness and honeyed depth gives the tea an inviting character for repeated infusions.

Gui Fei’s origins are closely linked to the aftermath of Taiwan’s devastating earthquake of 21 September 1999. In the Dong Ding area of Lugu, tea growers devoted their attention to rebuilding homes and workshops, leaving some gardens less closely tended. Small green leafhoppers fed on the growing shoots, and when these leaves were processed, they revealed an unexpected honeyed fragrance. By adapting traditional Dong Ding methods to this leafhopper-affected material, local makers developed a distinctive rolled oolong that became known as Gui Fei—a tea shaped by both hardship and ingenuity.

Profile: Wild honey, delicate floral notes, ripe fruit, gentle roasted warmth
Origin: Yu Shan, Nantou County, Taiwan
Elevation: Approximately 1,200–1,300 m
Harvest: Autumn 2024
Cultivar: Qing Xin
Oxidation: Medium
Roasting: Traditional Gui Fei style
Brewing suggestion: 90–95 °C | 5 g per 100 ml | 25–35 s for the first infusion, adjusting subsequent infusions to taste