At a glance
Sun Moon Lake black tea is a regional description, not a single cultivar. Ruby, or Taiwan Tea No. 18, is one important named cultivar in that region; Assam-style products also exist. This page preserves the older regional entry while correcting its implication that every Sun Moon Lake black tea is Ruby.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 日月潭红茶 |
| Tea family | Black tea |
| Associated origin | Yuchi and the Sun Moon Lake area, Nantou, Taiwan |
| Leaf form | Substantial, long, dark worked strands; varies with cultivar and product |
Taste and appearance
The retained regional table describes substantial, tightly worked dark strands, bright red liquor, a rich sweet fragrance and a full cup, sometimes with honey-like sweetness. Its golden-hair descriptions are inherited regional comparison details, not a verified Ruby-specific standard. Identified Ruby products often describe cinnamon or mint-like notes; these are flavour descriptions, not proof that spices have been added.
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 | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Substantial tight strands with many golden hairs | Tight, even, substantial strands with visible golden hairs | Fairly tight, reasonably even, substantial strands with some golden hairs |
| Dry-leaf colour | Deep brown | Lustrous dark leaf | Dark, reasonably lustrous |
| Liquor | Vivid red and bright | Vivid red | Red and bright |
| Aroma | Rich sweet fragrance | Rich | Fairly rich |
| Taste | Aroma in the cup, some honey notes, strong returning sweetness | Mellow and fairly brisk | Strong, full and reasonably mellow |
| Infused leaves | Vivid red, bright, full, tender and lively | Tender, reasonably lively, red and bright | Soft, red and bright |
This is the inherited regional comparison, not a complete Ruby 18 cultivar standard. Its golden-hair descriptions do not identify a packet as Ruby. Keep origin, cultivar and grade separate.
Names and origin
The source names Yuchi and nearby Puli in Nantou, Taiwan. The wider region’s Assam-growing history must be separated from Ruby’s later breeding history. The research station records Taiwan Tea No. 18, also called Ruby or Hongyu, as a cultivar released in 1999 from Burmese Assam-line material and native Taiwanese mountain tea. Sun Moon Lake Assam and Ruby products are separately identified by growers and sellers; a place-name alone does not tell you which is in a packet.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
Consider a clearly named product if you want to compare regional Assam-style tea with Ruby’s different flavour profile. Neither the place nor the cultivar number is a clinical benefit, quality score or guarantee of one caffeine level.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: short gaiwan infusions
The earlier Chinese prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 95–100°C / 203–212°F water and a 5-second pour after adding water. It does not specify a tea dose. The example below makes the ratio explicit; its amounts are an editorial illustration of the prose, not measurements inferred from the separate graphic.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g loose Sun Moon Lake Black Tea as an editorial example |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for the measured water and leaves |
| Water temperature | 95–100°C / 203–212°F |
| First infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Leaves | Kept separate from the liquid after each pour |
Use your packet’s complete directions first. These inherited methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. The earlier five-to-seven-infusion statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. The prose does not specify a leaf rinse; any rinse shown in the separate image is not added silently to this version and is not a validated disinfection step. Let the drink cool enough to sip.
Read the original illustration separately
The original icon guide gives 3 g, 1:50 and 95°C / 203°F, using a porcelain gaiwan or a clay teapot. The ratio calculates to 150 mL actual water. It says roughly three infusions but supplies no steeping time or vessel capacity. Keep it separate from the prose’s 1:20 / 5-second method. Spring-water wording is not evidence of safe untreated water.
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
Read the actual cultivar, growing locality, maker, harvest and ingredients. Ruby, Assam and Sun Moon Lake are different kinds of information. Do not assign every old golden-bud sensory row to Ruby or infer spices from a cinnamon-aroma comparison. The old price list is in CNY, not Taiwan dollars.
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 | 900 | 180 |
| Grade 1 | 600 | 120 |
| Grade 2 | 450 | 90 |
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.
The original figures are CNY per 500 g from the Chinese edition, not TWD/NT$ or current Taiwan retail prices. They are not a Ruby-specific price survey.
How to store
Original storage method
The earlier entry uses a sealed foil or kraft-paper pouch inside a closed, dry container such as a tin, kept cool, dry and away from light and smells. Its casual tea-table or bookshelf example assumes those conditions: use a suitable cupboard if a shelf is sunny or near steam. Reseal the inner pouch after taking tea. Plain paper without a moisture-resistant lining is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch.
Its historical targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity, with a 24-month general shelf-life reference. These are legacy figures, not a freshly verified expiry date or a remaining-life prediction for an opened packet. The actual product label, seal and storage conditions take precedence. The earlier ordinary-storage method does not require refrigeration; follow any different instruction for your own product.
In a UK or US kitchen
Keep the packet away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, direct sun and spice containers. A decorative outer tin does not replace the inner seal. Keep a small daily portion separate if that helps resealing the main supply. Do not assume a long shelf life from the tea’s dark colour. For opened-packet handling, read storing an opened packet.
Origin, processing and history
No process illustration was present in the original entry, so none is invented. Regional black-tea history and the 1999 release of the Ruby cultivar are different subjects. The old claim that introduced Assam necessarily surpassed all earlier small-leaf products or matched every premium Indian / Sri Lankan tea is not an objective universal quality conclusion. Follow the actual maker’s processing and cultivar description.
Common questions
Does Sun Moon Lake black tea always mean Ruby 18?
No. Sun Moon Lake is a regional name, and its black teas include different plant material. Ruby is Taiwan Tea No. 18, a specific cultivar. Check whether the packet says Ruby/Hongyu/TTES 18, Assam or another cultivar before choosing flavour expectations or a brewing method.
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 Jin Xuan, or browse the black 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.