Why do lips and tongue go numb after drinking Wuyi Rock Tea?

Characteristics of Rock Tea: The distinctive feature of Wuyi Rock Tea lies in its roasting. After roasting, the tea leaves produce a liquor that is relatively thick and heavy, resulting in a noticeably thickened sensation on the tongue after drinking.

If drinking Rougui, there is an additional characteristic: Rougui's own inherent qualities can also impart this sensation to your tongue.

This rather unique sensation is one reason why beginners often find it difficult to appreciate Rock Tea initially. However, once accustomed to this feeling, many come to enjoy Rock Tea.

Furthermore, if an astringent sensation is present at the start, accompanied by a flavor reminiscent of green persimmons, the numbness is mainly due to the roasting process of the Rock Tea, where the "fire" has not fully receded. This is particularly evident in the Da Hong Pao tea variety.

How to master the technique of savoring the taste of Rock Tea?

When tasting the flavor, the tongue's posture should be correct. After drawing the tea liquor into the mouth, place the tip of the tongue against the upper teeth roots, slightly part the lips, lift the tongue slightly, allowing the tea liquor to spread over the middle part of the tongue. Then, using abdominal breathing, slowly inhale air through the mouth, causing the tea liquor to roll slightly on the tongue. After inhaling twice, discern the flavor, then close the mouth, keep the tongue in position, exhale waste air from the lungs through the nostrils, and finally spit out the tea liquor. If a bitter taste is initially perceived, raise the position of the tongue to press the tea liquor toward the base of the tongue for further assessment of the bitterness level.

If a smoky flavor is suspected, after taking the tea liquor into the mouth, close the lips, press the tongue tip against the palate, inhale through the nostrils, expand the oral cavity to allow full contact between air and the tea liquor, then release the air through the nostrils. Repeating this 2-3 times allows for a more accurate evaluation of smokiness.

The optimal temperature for tasting tea liquor is between 40–50°C. Above 70°C, taste buds can be scalded, affecting the tasting results; below 40°C, the sensitivity of taste organs decreases. In cooler tea liquor, substances dissolved in the hot liquor gradually precipitate, making the tea liquor uncoordinated and compromising accurate assessment. This is because substances related to flavor dissolve more harmoniously in hot liquor, but as the temperature drops, they gradually precipitate, disrupting the balance.

When tasting tea liquor, 5 ml per sip is ideal. Too much fills the mouth, hindering swirling and flavor discrimination; too little leaves the mouth feeling empty,不利于辨别. This is what we call "savoring" tea—a 15 ml cup should be enjoyed in three small sips.

Timing is crucial. Swirl 5 ml of tea liquor in the mouth twice over 4 seconds; three sips are sufficient to evaluate a cup. To compare flavors of different teas more precisely, rinse the mouth with warm water to wash away high-concentration residues on the tongue before tasting again, preventing taste bud fatigue and ensuring accurate comparison.

When taking tea liquor into the mouth, inhale naturally without force. Sucking too vigorously increases the flow rate, causing some tea to enter through gaps between teeth, mixing with food debris and introducing off-flavors, which hinders accurate taste assessment.

Evaluating the taste of tea liquor includes characteristics such as richness, strength, briskness, astringency, freshness, staleness, purity, foreign notes,刺激,收敛性,活力, body, and aftertaste. The sensations in the throat after swallowing—soft sweetness, smoothness,甘滑, and lingering韵味—are also important aspects of tasting.