Bai Ji Guan is a classic wulong from the Wu Yi Shan mountain region. Also referred to as Minbei wulong, as the traditional area for producing these teas in north of the Min river in Fujian. These are known as rock tea, or yan cha, for the decidedly mineral taste that the rocky terroir imparts to the tea. The gardens in the area around the Wu Yi Protected area were all propagated from the original "mother trees" that are not harvested anymore but can be visited in the park. Bai Ji Guan is one of the four famous Wu Yi Si Da Ming Cong teas, meaning they come from the "Four Great Bushes."

In contrast to the LoC Da Hong Pao, which is also one of the four, Bai Ji Guan is a unique cultivar and is much more lightly processed. The leaves on the bush are more yellow-greenish and appear almost white in the sunshine.

Provenance:

• Origin: Caodun Village, Xingcun Town, Wuyishan City, Fujian, China
• Grower/Teamaster: Li Zhen
  
• Harvest Date: Late April 2023
  
• Cultivar: Bai Ji Guan
  
• Cultivation: Natural, without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers
  
• Plucking Standard:
  
• Processing Notes:  Lightly processed, shade withered
  
• Nickname: White Cockscomb, or White Cock Crest (白鸡冠 or 白雞冠 or 白鶏冠)
  
• History/Pedigree: First mentioned in the Ming Dynasty, this tea originated in the famous "Bat Cave" in the Wu Yi mountains. 
  

Brewing Suggestions¹:

• Water: 195-205˚F filtered water
• Tea: 2g per 4oz of water (about a level 1 TB²)
• Steep:
  • Western: 1-2 minutes with 2-4 additional infusions. Or you can do more of a “western” steep of 3-5 minutes with less additional infusions.
  • Eastern/Gong fu: Start with a quick 10s infusion and then increase infusion time by 50% until you reach 60s (10s, 15s, 22s, 30s,45s, 60s,…). Continue at 60s until the tea no longer tastes good to you and is "steeped out."
    

Tasting Notes:

Roasted fruit, savory notes, and that unique and highly sought after mineral rocky note. This last note gives yan cha its name and is referred to literally as “rock rhyme”.

¹ Brewing suggestions are just that. Try it as suggested, and then experiment. In this case I suggest first experimenting with the length and number of steepings. You could also experiment with the quantity of tea per oz of water. For temperature, 195˚ gives a sweeter, smoother profile while 205˚ is more complex and stronger. Some tea drinkers like to use slightly hotter and longer times for each subsequent steeping.

² Weighing your tea is always the best way to control your dosage. I provide approximate volume measures for convenience but they can be problematic due to the variance in tea leaf shape and size. It’s best to use the single appropriate volume measure for the tea, i.e., don’t try to measure 1.5TB using two spoons meant to measure 1 TB and a ½ TB. Use an actual 1.5 TB measuring spoon. Yes, they make them! I like the oblong ones to handle longer leaf styles.

³ tea: a users guide / by Tony Gebely; copyright 2016 Eggs and Toast Media LLC