18 Ruby Black

Tea: 18 Ruby (black tea) Grower: Alfredo Lin Teamaker: Alfredo Lin Origin: Mingjian - Nantou, Taiwan Elevation: 300m (980ft) Cultivation: Natural (Organic, but no certification) Harvest Date: July 2018 (Summer) • • • Complex and well-balanced. Notes of sarsaparilla, cherry, and spearmint. Brisk, well-rounded texture with long-lasting, cool menthol aftertaste. • • •   The Tea 18 Ruby is Alfredo Lin's take on Taiwan's famous Ruby #18 black tea. He patented the name "18 Ruby" in Taiwan for his own batches, which are of superior quality. Like many other famous teas, Ruby #18 is often poorly processed material that depends on marketing and packaging. However, Alfredo's "18 Ruby" is truly fantastic, thanks to two reasons: (1) Alfredo learned to craft Ruby #18 from Master Aones, the Taiwanese teamaster who first perfected and popularized the tea. Like many Taiwanese teamakers, Alfredo's background is in oolong tea. He quickly became an award-winning black tea specialist under the tutelage o