Ruby 18 is a modern Taiwanese invention, also known as Sun Moon Lake black tea. This cultivar is a cross between indigenous Taiwanese tea bushes and Assam varietal bushes. It was bred by a member of the Taiwan Tea reform institute back in 1999.
The minty effect of Ruby 18 is up front and clear in this crop, but the tones are lower. This makes it feel more like wintergreen than peppermint. And the medium tones that fill in the body of the tea are chocolate, soy sauce, and dried dates.The tones are all reaching lower into the spectrum than previous batches of Ruby 18.
Overall this tea has a beautifully complex bouquet and well balanced broth.
Harvest Location : Sun Moon Lake Region, Nantou, Taiwan
Harvest Date : Spring 2020
Cultivar : Ruby 18 [Hongyu #18]
Farming Method : Conventional