Da Hong Pao tea, oolong from china, speciality tea

Description

Our Da Hong Pao oolong (Big Red Robe) is a Chinese tea that is shrouded in many mysteries… and is often poorly understood. There is nothing odd about this since the tea’s history is rich and muddled. Big Red Robe’s original parent plants are probably six of the most diligently guarded tea bushes in the entire world. There is, of course, no way to buy such tea and the Da Hong Pao that is available everywhere is most frequently a mix of various rock tea cultivars. Shortly we will try to nicely describe this fascinating tale in a single article.

The Da Hong Pao we have on offer originates from the Wuyi mountains and is produced by blending various cultivars in order to best recreate the flavour of the original rock teas (yancha). It’s a high-quality tea that invites you to gradually explore the depths of a roasted oolong. It’s easy to discover desirable mineral notes, such as cocoa or fruits. It’s worth noting that Da Hong Pao can withstand a lot of infusions, so one portion of leaves can be enjoyed for a very long time.

Harvest: 2024
Origin: Fujian, China
Cultivar: mixed
Profile: cocoa, rock salt, cherimoya fruit

Additional information

Weight	N/A
Kraj pochodzenia	China
Kolor	Oolong
Weight	50g, 250g

Our impressions

Jack

A solid tea – very even, but evolving. Rich mineral flavor with a slight citrus note emerging after the third infusion. I think coffee lovers would enjoy it.

Szymon

As a big fan of “rock teas,” I was delighted to discover that even cheaper Da Hong Pao can taste really exquisite. It captures the character of this type of tea well—the flavor is sweet, mature, and powerfully mineral.

Antoni
This batch of Da Hong Pao (DHP) is exceptionally light. I’m used to the intensity often found in this type of tea, but this one also allows for a strong acidity and robust roasting if desired. However, I recommend treating this tea more gently, which is unconventional but aligns with its character. I find the mineral and nutty notes more pleasing in the background, complementing the floral qualities achieved by brewing at 80 degrees Celsius.

After drinking from the bowl, dip your nose in it 🙂

Only dark oolongs leave behind such a beautiful aroma.

Brewing methods

Western style:

5g/250ml water

95°C

I steep: 2 min / II steep: 3 min / III steep: 5 min

Gongfu style:

6g/100ml water

95°C

I steep: 10 s / II steep: 10 s / III steep: 10 s / IV steep: 15 s / add some extra time with each following steeping

High glass:

1g/100ml water

95°C

First infusion: watch the beautiful dance of the leaves and wait until they settle at the bottom, then drink 2/3 of the glass. Second infusion: refill the remaining 1/3 of the infusion with fresh boiling water.