Ruby 18 Origins
Sample The Tea Plants That Were Bred Together to Create This Classic Cultivar
Ruby 18 is quickly becoming one of the most famous black teas produced in Taiwan due to its unique and memorable flavor profile. Depending on the season and terroir, hints of mint, cinnamon, red fruit, spice, malt and the signature menthol-like mint greet those who are lucky enough to get their hands on this one-of-a-kind tea.
Unlike many other teas, the origins of the Ruby 18 Cultivar are actually very well known. Developed by the Taiwan Tea Research and Extension Station in the late 1990s, the tea is the product of a mix between a Burmese Assamica Cultivar and native Camellia Formosensis tea plant. And as you will see with this set it is an example of 2 + 2 = 10!
On a recent sourcing trip to the area where Ruby 18 was first developed, the Sun Moon Lake Area, we stumbled across an organic farm that was growing all three of these plants side by side. We were offered the chance to try them together and it was so useful and fun that we decided to offer the same experience to all of you.
Included in this set are:
25g Sun Moon #8 Assamica
25g Sun Moon Wild Cultivar Black
50g Sun Moon Ruby 18 Black
An informational sheet about Ruby 18
Flavor profiles of the teas:
Sun Moon #8 Assamica Black: Creamy, strong and rich classic black-tea taste.
Sun Moon Wild Cultivar Black: Red Fruit, hints of spice, smooth half and fresh mushrooms if pushed hard with hot water!
Sun Moon Ruby 18 Black: Mint, spices, red fruit and strong black tea.
Elevation: 400m
Area: Yuchi, Nantou, Sun Moon Lake Area
Status: Certified Organic
Cultivar: Ruby 18, #8 Assamica, Camellia Formosensis
Oxidization: 100%
Season: Winter, 2023
Method: Hand picked, processed on site, very small batch
Recommend Brewing Style: 3-5g per 100ml, ~95C water(205f), 30, 30, 45 then add 5-10 seconds steeps in gaiwan. Lasts 4-6 steeps.
For stronger brews they can be brewed for up to a minute at a time but be careful not to make them too strong!
***Not recommended for western style brewing***