To drink Wuyi Rock Tea, one is mainly curious about the "rock rhythm," and the primary manifestation of "rock rhythm" is the aroma of Rock Tea. How is the aroma of Rock Tea different from that of other tea categories? Is its unique, assertive character only reflected in its aroma? Good Rock Tea possesses "rock rhythm," so to select good Rock Tea, one must first learn to appreciate its fragrance—to savor the "aroma" of Wuyi Rock Tea.
Understanding the aroma of Rock Tea is mainly reflected in the dry fragrance, lid fragrance, water fragrance, and cup-bottom fragrance.
Dry Fragrance
Refers to the tea scent possessed by the dry leaves. A good method to distinguish the quality of dry fragrance is to heat the tasting cup with boiling water, pour it out, place an appropriate amount of dry tea leaves into the cup, cover it, and gently shake to smell the aroma.
When smelling the dry fragrance, one can sense the effect of the dry tea's scent and detect any odd or miscellaneous odors, but it is not easy to distinguish the quality of the tea or identify its varietal characteristics at this stage.
Of course, some teas can very well express their varietal characteristics even in dry form. For example: Qilan and Old Bush Shuixian are teas with quite distinct varietal features.
Lid Fragrance
The aroma left on the lid after the first infusion of tea is poured out.
Lid fragrance is an important stage for distinguishing the varietal characteristics and quality level of the tea. The characteristics of many teas are very evident in the lid's aroma. Of course, lid fragrance is also a crucial indicator for evaluating the quality of tea based on its aroma.
The main manifestations of tea aroma on the lid are: varietal aroma (tea fragrance), floral aroma, charcoal fire scent, fruity-sweet aroma, etc.
Additionally, any odd or miscellaneous odors in the tea (if present) can be well assessed at this time. For example: smoky smell, returned-greenness smell, etc.
Water Fragrance
Refers to the aroma in the mouth after the tea liquor is sipped.
This is a further deepening of the lid fragrance, essentially a further confirmation of it.
Cup-Bottom Fragrance
Refers to the aroma at the bottom of the tasting cup after several infusions, when the cup is inverted and the tea leaves are removed.
This aroma is a further confirmation of the tea's quality level, with a clear and subtle fragrance being superior. Ideally, the lid fragrance, water fragrance, and cup-bottom fragrance should be consistent.
How Tea Aroma Affects Tea Quality:
For Rock Tea aroma, floral and fruity notes are considered top quality. Tea fragrance and charcoal aroma are essential characteristics of Rock Tea. Smoky taste, returned-greenness, and other odd miscellaneous odors are major flaws in tea.
When appreciating tea aroma, special attention should be paid to:
Fresh fragrance ≠ grassy fragrance; Tea fragrance (varietal aroma) ≠ floral aroma; Charcoal aroma ≠ fruity-sweet aroma.
1. Fresh Fragrance vs. Grassy Fragrance
Fresh-fragrance Rock Tea refers to finished tea products made with a light roasting process, where the tea's inherent characteristics are good or its aroma performance is ideal. It specifically indicates Rock Tea processed with lighter roasting.
Grassy fragrance, however, results from insufficient fermentation time or inadequate pan-firing during processing, leading to a grassy plant-like smell. It is a characteristic of inadequate processing and can persist even after sufficient roasting.
Fresh fragrance relates to the tea's processing technique, while grassy fragrance relates to the tea's quality problem.
2. Varietal Aroma vs. Floral Aroma
These two essentially concern the issue of commonality versus individuality. All teas possess a basic tea fragrance. In fresh-fragrance teas, it can be difficult to distinguish between the basic tea fragrance and floral aroma. Some specific varieties like No. 105 (Huang Guanyin) inherently possess a varietal aroma somewhat similar to floral notes. However, to differentiate between tea fragrance and floral aroma, the varietal aroma tends to be sharper and more piercing, while the aroma of a floral tea is more subtle and has better convergence.
3. Charcoal Aroma vs. Fruity Aroma
Charcoal aroma is mainly distinguished in medium to well-roasted teas. In the lid fragrance, charcoal aroma manifests as a caramel-like scent, primarily noticeable in the first three infusions. Fruity aroma, on the other hand, may only become apparent after the second or third infusion.
To understand Rock Tea aroma, it lies in focusing on comparison and accumulation during the tasting process, which allows for good differentiation.
Regarding the several aromas mentioned earlier:
Tea Fragrance: Refers to varietal aroma, the inherent fragrance characteristic of each tea variety.
Floral Aroma: A pollen-like aroma exhibited in fresh-fragrance tea products.
Fruity-Sweet Aroma: The honey-like or creamy-fruity aroma perceived when starting to brew medium or medium-to-well roasted tea products.
Charcoal Aroma: The charcoal fire scent present in medium or medium-to-well roasted tea products. It should be distinguished from burnt aroma (a coffee-like smell produced by roasting at too high a temperature or too quickly).
Fresh Fragrance: Specifically refers to a fragrance type of Rock Tea made using a light roasting process in Rock Tea production. It differs from the ripe fragrance type of well-roasted or medium-roasted teas.
Regarding Fresh Fragrance and Ripe Fragrance:
Generally speaking, fresh-fragrance Rock Tea primarily uses light roasting, while ripe-fragrance Rock Tea primarily uses well-done roasting. Medium-roasted tea products might exhibit either a light fragrance or a ripe fragrance, making complete categorization difficult.
Floral aroma necessarily appears in fresh-fragrance Rock Tea, while fruity aroma must come from ripe-fragrance tea products. Finding fruity aroma in fresh-fragrance tea or floral aroma in ripe-fragrance tea would be exceptional cases, or perhaps considered rare masterpieces. Personally, I believe it's highly unlikely.