What Do Indonesian Coffee Tasting Notes Teach About Ruby Tea No. 18?

Sun Moon Lake Ruby Assam Tea No. 18 from Nantou, Taiwan, brews with a gongfu method of 5g tea per 100ml water at 95°C (205°F), infused for 30, 45, and 60 seconds, then adding 15 seconds each round. Its dry leaves are deep black and slender, giving off roast, charcoal, woody herb, cherry, and grape aromas that shift toward sweet fruit and roasted nuts after warming.

The tea comes from a Shanxi Tea set comparing Myanmar Assam, Taiwan Mountain Tea, and Ruby No. 18, all grown side by side in the Sun Moon Lake area, so drinkers can trace how parent plants shape a hybrid. Tasting notes lean on mint, spice, and red fruit, and it pairs with Black Forest chocolate cake, echoing the fruit-forward style found in Indonesian coffee tasting notes.

Ruby Assam Tea No. 18 from the Sun Moon Lake tea region in Nantou, Taiwan, is beloved by tea enthusiasts for its unique mint, spice, and red fruit aromas. This article is based on three tea samples from the Shanxi Tea Experience Set—Myanmar Assam, Taiwan Mountain Tea, and Ruby No. 18—and provides a detailed record of gongfu brewing parameters and the flavor changes of each infusion, from the appearance of the dry leaves to the layered tastes at each steeping stage, along with pairing notes with Black Forest chocolate cake. If you are interested in this tea's origin background, processing recommendations, or tasting methods, this note will provide frontline practical reference. Front Street also continues to follow this kind of origin flavor expression, bringing more cross-disciplinary inspiration to coffee and tea lovers.

Description: Notes of mint, spice, red fruit, and strong tea.

Note: The gongfu brewing recommendation is 5g of tea per 100ml of water, water temperature 95°C (205°F), with infusion times of 30 seconds, 45 seconds, and 60 seconds, then increasing by an additional 15 seconds for each subsequent infusion. Please note that these parameters come from the product label and differ slightly from the recommendations given on the Front Street website.

Review: This article is the third part of the Shanxi Tea Ruby No. 18 origin tasting series. The tasting set includes three teas: Myanmar Assam (mother plant/flower), Taiwan Mountain Tea (father plant/pollen), and Ruby Black Tea (hybrid). These tea trees all come from the Sun Moon area—where Ruby No. 18 was originally cultivated—and the three are planted side by side on the same farm. After a joint tasting, Shanxi Tea House decided to share the same tea samples with more tea friends. This kind of comparison set is extremely valuable for learning, so I felt I had to share it with everyone.

The dry leaves of Ruby Assam Tea No. 18 are deep black, with slender, thread-like strips. Although it shares similarities with Myanmar Assam and Taiwan Mountain Tea, in appearance it is closer to Taiwan Mountain Tea, with smaller, thinner leaves. The dry leaves give off aromas of roasting, charcoal, and woody herbs, accompanied by the fruity scents of cherry and grape.

After preheating the gaiwan and adding the dry leaves, the aroma turns into a sweet fruity note, with scents of roasted nuts, earth, and cherry.

First infusion (30 seconds): The tea liquor quickly turns red amber, giving off aromas of roasting, charcoal, and fruit. On entry, there are flavors of charcoal, damp earth, and minerals, with a dry sensation in the back of the throat.

Second infusion (40 seconds): The liquor color and aroma are similar to the first infusion. On the palate, the flavors of cherry, wet earth, licorice, and baked goods are more complex. There is astringency on the surface of the teeth, and the back of the throat continues to feel dry.

Third infusion (60 seconds): After one minute, the tea liquor turns a deeper copper brown, with the red tone weakening. The aroma is still dominated by roasting and charcoal. The tannins are most noticeable in the mouth, accompanied by flavors of fruit and damp earth.

Fourth infusion (1 minute 15 seconds): The roasted note remains, but the taste is mellower, bringing out charcoal and mineral nuances.

The spent leaves are a red chocolate color and give off a sweet, earthy, metallic scent. The leaf appearance is closer to the milk-chocolate-colored Taiwan Mountain Tea.

During the tasting, I paired it with Black Forest chocolate cake. The cherry and chocolate flavors highlighted the characteristics of Ruby No. 18, and the cream in the cake also softened some of the tea liquor's dryness.

I have to say, the original set was an excellent learning experience. Tasting the "mother plant" and "father plant" teas first and then drinking the hybrid was great fun. If you have the chance, I highly recommend trying this set or a similar combination; it is truly rewarding.

Overall, it is not surprising that Ruby No. 18 is similar to Myanmar Assam and Taiwan Mountain Tea. Ruby No. 18 is thinner and harder in appearance, similar to Mountain Tea, and all three have a relatively strong astringency. Myanmar Assam shows sweet fruity aromas in the first few infusions. To me, Ruby No. 18 leans more toward the Mountain Tea style. Although I generally do not like teas with strong astringency, this was still a valuable learning experience (rating 3/5).

Origin: The Sun Moon Lake area of Yuchi, Nantou, Taiwan

Question at the end: Among Myanmar Assam (mother plant/flower), Mountain Tea (father plant/pollen), and Ruby (hybrid), which one would you most like to try?

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.