Qi Dan | Oolong Rock Tea | TT17

Wuyi teas are sometimes called "rock teas" (yancha) because of the distinctive terrain of the mountainsides where they are grown. Tea grown in the rocky, mineral-rich soil is highly prized. Because of the lower yield produced by the tea bushes in such terrain, the resulting tea can be quite rare. In the 16th century, Wuyi tea makers invited monks from Songluo, who developed oolong techniques, to teach them. Eventually, they discovered that by allowing the tea to partially oxidize before firing, they could produce a darker, fragrant type of tea with notes of stone fruit.