Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea – Rougui No. 07 (Light-to-Medium Roast) — ovanyu

Cassia in Its Purest Form — Rougui Before the Fire Takes Over

Rougui is defined by its cassia-spice character — a warm, dry, distinctly aromatic quality that no other Wuyi cultivar produces. But the way that character is expressed depends entirely on how the leaf is roasted. At a light-to-medium roast level, Rougui is at its most transparent: the cassia fragrance is bright and lifted rather than concentrated, the fruit notes are vivid and fresh rather than deep and dried, and the entire cup has a clarity and buoyancy that heavier roast expressions do not.

ovanyu's Rougui No. 07 is sourced from the rock gardens of the Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province — where volcanic mineral soils and mountain mist produce the yan yun terroir that underlies all authentic Wuyi oolong — and finished with a light-to-medium roast that prioritizes the natural character of the cultivar above all else. The cassia is here. So is the fruit. And the freshness that makes this expression of Rougui unlike any other.

Why Rougui No. 07

• Lifted Cassia Fragrance (Guì Pí Xiāng) — At a light-to-medium roast, the cassia character of Rougui is at its most aromatic and most open. The dry, spiced warmth of cinnamon bark rises clearly from the first pour — bright rather than concentrated, high in the cup rather than deep in the body. This is Rougui's defining note expressed at its most transparent: immediate, vivid, and unmistakably itself before the roast has had time to draw it inward.
• Fresh, Vibrant Fruit (Guǒ Xiāng) — Where a heavier roast develops the dried fruit character of Rougui — longan, dried peach, dark plum — the light-to-medium roast preserves a fresher, more immediate fruit quality: ripe peach, a hint of lychee, a brightness that sits alongside the cassia rather than beneath it. This is a fruit note that reads as alive, not transformed — a very different and equally compelling expression of the same cultivar.
• Vivid, Bracing Clarity (Xiān Chún Gāo Sǎng) — The defining quality of a light-to-medium roast Rougui: a clean, almost electric clarity on the palate — refreshing, lifting, and remarkably long in the finish. The yan yun mineral character of the Wuyi rock garden expresses here as pure lift: the tea's intensity without weight, the cassia's boldness without heaviness. Each sip finishes cleanly and calls for the next.
• Light-to-Medium Roast — Transparency as Craft — A lighter roast is not a lesser roast — it is a different intention. In No. 07, the decision to roast at this level is a deliberate choice to let the natural character of the Rougui cultivar speak as directly as possible: minimal heat intervention, maximum aromatic clarity. The skill lies in knowing exactly how much roast this particular leaf needs, and stopping there.
• Wuyi Mountain Rock-Garden Origin — Grown in the core Wuyi Mountain region, processed through the full traditional Wuyi oolong method — withering, solar and indoor tossing, partial oxidation, rolling — and finished with a light-to-medium charcoal roast calibrated to the specific aromatic qualities of the Rougui cultivar.

What's Inside

Origin: Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province, China
Cultivar: Rougui (Cassia) — Wuyi Rock Oolong
Roast Level: Light-to-Medium
Net Weight: 150g (5.29 oz)
Processing: Traditional withering, solar and indoor tossing, partial oxidation, rolling, light-to-medium charcoal roasting
Ingredients: 100% single-origin Wuyi Rougui rock oolong leaves

How to Brew

Hot Brew (Gongfu Style — Recommended)
Leaves: 7–8g | Water: 120–150ml | Temperature: 203–212°F (95–100°C)
First infusion: 15–20 seconds. Add 10–15 seconds each round. Yields 7–10 infusions. A lighter roast Rougui responds well to water just below full boil — preserving the lifted cassia aroma and fresh fruit clarity. The early steeps are intensely aromatic; later rounds reveal the mineral yan yun more fully as the brighter notes settle.

Hot Brew (Western Style)
Leaves: 4–5g | Water: 12 oz (350ml) | Temperature: 200–205°F (93–96°C)
Steep 2–3 minutes for the first infusion. Re-steep 2–3 times, adding 20–30 seconds each round. The brightness and clarity of No. 07 make it particularly approachable in a Western format — vivid, satisfying, and easy to enjoy without Gongfu equipment.

Cold Brew
Leaves: 8–10g | Water: 600ml cold water
Refrigerate 12–16 hours. Cold extraction is exceptionally well-suited to a lighter-roast Rougui: the cassia warmth becomes a gentle background note, and the fresh fruit character comes forward with unusual clarity — producing a naturally sweet, aromatic brew that is among the most approachable expressions of Wuyi oolong. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does No. 07 (Light-to-Medium Roast) differ from No. 09 (Medium-High Roast)?
A: The roast level is the defining variable. No. 09 is roasted at a medium-high level: the cassia is concentrated and integrated, the fruit is deeper and drier, the body is fuller, and the overall expression is bold and grounded. No. 07 is lighter: the cassia is lifted and aromatic, the fruit is fresher and more immediate, and the cup has a brightness and clarity that the heavier roast expression does not. No. 09 is Rougui at its most intense; No. 07 is Rougui at its most transparent. Both are excellent — they are different conversations with the same remarkable leaf.

Q: Is a lighter roast Rougui less complex than a heavier roast?
A: No — it is differently complex. A heavier roast develops depth and integration; a lighter roast reveals clarity and immediacy. No. 07 shows you the cassia character of the Rougui cultivar and the freshness of the Wuyi terroir more directly than any heavier roast can. The complexity is there; it is expressed differently.

Q: What is yan yun and how does it appear in a lighter-roast Rougui?
A: Yan yun — "rock rhyme" — is the cool, mineral resonance specific to Wuyi Mountain rock-garden teas. In a lighter roast like No. 07, it expresses primarily as structural clarity and finish lift — the quality that keeps the bright cassia and fruit notes from becoming flat or one-dimensional. It is the backbone of the cup, felt most clearly in the clean, persistent finish after the swallow.

Q: How many infusions will I get?
A: Using Gongfu brewing, expect 7–10 infusions. The aromatic intensity of the early steeps is particularly striking in a light-to-medium roast; later rounds develop the mineral and sweetness dimensions more fully.

Q: Is this suitable as a gift?
A: No. 07 is an excellent entry point into Wuyi rock oolong for those unfamiliar with the category — the brightness and clarity make it approachable without sacrificing the complexity that defines great Rougui. For experienced tea drinkers, it offers a perspective on the cultivar that heavier roasts cannot. ovanyu's packaging is designed with a refined aesthetic appropriate for meaningful personal and professional gifting.