At a glance
Ginseng Oolong, also sold as Lan Gui Ren, is a tea-based blend whose added ingredients need checking. Ginseng species, licorice, coatings and amounts vary; the name does not establish an American-ginseng formula.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 人参乌龙茶（兰贵人） |
| Tea family | Scented tea |
| Associated origin | Taiwan, Fujian and Hainan associations; verify the specific packet |
| Leaf form | Rolled or coated oolong with declared added ingredients |
Taste and appearance
The older comparison describes dense dark-green granules, bright orange-yellow liquor, floral fragrance and a thick, smooth, mellow sweetness. The sweetness of a coated tea does not identify the ginseng species or prove that ginseng alone creates the flavour.
The cover is the original dry-leaf illustration. These images are not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of origin, grade, age, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This preserves the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not grade your packet. Plant material, growing area, processing and grade are separate details. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade (old table) | Grade 1 (old table) | Grade 2 (old table) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Dense robust granules, clear leaf veins, clean | Fairly tight granules, clear veins, moderate cleanliness | Robust fairly full granules with clear veins |
| Dry colour | Dark green | Dark green | Lighter dark green |
| Liquor | Clear orange-yellow | Bright yellow | Fairly clear yellow |
| Aroma | Rich floral | Light and elegant | Light and elegant |
| Taste | Thick, sweet, clean, smooth and mellow | Thick, sweet, clean, smooth and mellow | Thick, sweet, clean, smooth and mellow |
| Infused material | Thick and full leaves | Fairly thick, even leaves | Fairly thick leaves |
These inherited sensory columns do not measure ginseng, licorice or coating content and are not a universal verified standard for the blend. Similar sweetness across columns does not establish identical formulations.
Names and origin
Renshen Wulong is ginseng oolong; Lan Gui Ren is an associated commercial name. The old article specifically says American ginseng and Taiwanese high-mountain tea, but gives no traceable label. A marketed product explicitly lists oolong, ginseng powder and licorice; a separately filed formulation also uses oolong, ginseng and licorice. Neither proves that all blends are identical. Keep Asian ginseng, American ginseng and licorice separate ingredients and check the actual species and amounts. The old Taipei/Nantou/Chiayi location wording does not establish every product’s origin.
Everyday benefits
Enjoyment of its tea and added-ingredient flavour is the practical role. Tea leaves supply caffeine; a ginseng name does not prove benefits for weight, blood lipids, immunity or ageing. Research on a defined ginseng preparation is not evidence for a cup of an unspecified coated oolong.
Who may enjoy this tea
Choose only a fully identified formula for its flavour, not by age, body type, weight, tiredness or blood-lipid claims. If you want plain oolong, an unblended product avoids this formula ambiguity.
When to take care
Check added ingredients first. Asian-ginseng information cannot automatically be transferred to American ginseng or an unknown powder. If a product contains ginseng or licorice, review the exact formula with your clinician or pharmacist when taking medicines, during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or when considering it for a child. Do not select it by a traditional constitution or treat it as ordinary unblended oolong.
Licorice containing glycyrrhizin can cause serious adverse effects, especially with high or prolonged intake; people with high blood pressure or heart/kidney conditions need particular professional advice. This is an ingredient-specific caution, not a claim that every packet contains licorice or a quantified risk at the pictured dose. Avoid known ingredient allergies.
Iron supplements: follow the prescribed instructions and ask your pharmacist about separation from the tea component; do not change treatment based on this guide.
How to brew
Formula check first: the old article has no verified complete label or additive amounts. Preserve the following only as inherited preparation documentation, not a checked serving recommendation for an unknown blend.
Original prose: glass or porcelain cup
The inherited method uses 1:50, 90–100°C / 194–212°F, refilling at about one-third liquid remaining, with roughly three refills. No first steeping time is supplied. This is a retained method, not a universal recipe for every formulation.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Material | 3 g as an editorial arithmetic example, only if suitable for the identified product |
| Actual water | 150 mL / about 5.1 US fl oz, measured actual water at 1:50 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe glass or porcelain cup with room for material and water |
| Temperature | 90–100°C / 194–212°F |
| First drink | No time recorded; use a complete packet method |
| Refill | About one-third remaining; around three refills is not a strength guarantee |
These inherited directions and arithmetic examples are awaiting hands-on testing. Follow the actual food product’s ingredients and full instructions first. Leaf form, added ingredients and bag size matter; the same name does not establish a serving. Strain or transfer to stop continuous extraction, and let the cup cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
Illustration method, conditional on formula identity: warm empty teaware with hot water, add 5 g, pour about 300 mL boiling water, wait five minutes, then drink. It suggests 3–5 infusions, until colour fades. Warming the empty cup is not a leaf rinse. The image gives no separate rinse and no ginseng/licorice amount. Its 5 g / 300 mL is distinct from the prose’s 1:50; do not treat either as a verified serving for an unknown blend.
For ordinary teaware options, see brew without a gaiwan. Keep each complete method together instead of selecting temperature, dose and time from different preparations.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Require full ingredients, the ginseng species, licorice/coating declaration where present, amounts or product-specific serving directions, named maker, dates and warnings. No fixed ginseng dose or safety conclusion can be calculated from the size of a green pellet.
See buy your first Chinese tea for packet comparisons.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No original brand, batch, harvest or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 680 | 136 |
| Grade 1 | 400 | 80 |
| Grade 2 | 250 | 50 |
Per 100 g is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted packet. Do not infer a missing sensory or price tier. Compare actual growing area, style, harvest, roast, weight and channel. A currency conversion does not make a UK or US retail offer comparable to a China historical figure.
How to store
Original storage method
The earlier reference is 24–36 months, below 25°C / 77°F, and below 50% relative humidity, with unopened sachets inside a tin and loose tea sealed in foil with excess air removed, then a tin or ceramic container. These are inherited oolong references, not a verified shelf life for every ginseng/licorice blend. Keep the original cool, dry, odour-free, shaded handling but let the actual blend label override it. A display shelf or tea table is suitable only if it meets those conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep a working pack away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, spices and sunlight. Reseal promptly with dry hands and a dry scoop. If the actual label calls for cold storage, use an odour-proof moisture barrier and let the pack warm while sealed before opening; refrigeration does not reset its date. See storing opened tea.
Origin, processing and history
The old map shows sun-withering, shaking, cooling, fixation, initial rolling, redrying and final drying. It describes a simplified tea-base sequence but omits adding ginseng, licorice or any coating. It therefore cannot certify the complete manufacture or ingredient amounts of the finished blend. Anti-ageing, fat-loss and constitution claims are not retained as established effects.
Common questions
Can I assume Lan Gui Ren contains only oolong and American ginseng?
No. Obtain the actual full ingredients and serving directions. Some ginseng-oolong products include licorice, and a vague name cannot identify ginseng species, coating components, their amounts or relevant product warnings.
Can I move one number from this recipe into a different vessel?
Keep leaf form, measured dose and actual water, temperature, timing and separation together. Nominal capacity or a fill fraction is not a measured ratio.
Compare Tieguanyin, or browse the scented tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. Valid original descriptions, sensory comparisons, prose and image methods, storage handling, China price figures and usable pictures are retained with their scope. Doubtful medical, ranking and exact historical claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled graphics have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting or brewing test is claimed. Internal research and image audits record the decisions.