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Da Hong Pao - A Grade - Wuyi Oolong Tea - Spring 2011 |
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Varietal: Da Hong Pao
Alternate Name: Big Red Robe
Harvest: Spring, 2011 (early May)
Grade: A
Growing Region: Wuyi Shan Scenic Area, Fujian Province
Roast: Traditional Full Roast
10 gram sample available
Overview:
Da Hong Pao (English:
Big Red Robe) is the most famous and revered varietal
from the category of oolongs known as "Wu Yi Yan
Cha," or Wu Yi Rock Tea. It was harvested and processed during
the Spring season of 2011 in the Wu Yi Shan National Scenic Area of
Northwest Fujian Province.
Da Hong Pao is a very popular tea, and demand for Da Hong Pao is huge both
inside and outside of China. This means that Da Hong Pao of varying
qualities and price points is widely commercially available, and not all
of it is grown inside the Wuyi National Scenic Area. This
particular Da Hong Pao represents a moderately priced, but high quality
offering from plants grown inside the Wuyi scenic area. The grade is what we refer to as A grade, meaning that it is primarily composed of less evenly sized pieces of leaf, as opposed to the more even, whole leaf appearance of higher grades. That said, because of the grade, we are able to offer this batch of Da Hong Pao priced to be more of a "daily drinking" type tea.Roast Style:
This is a
traditionally roasted or "fully" roasted Oolong, which serves the
practical purpose of killing or deactivating any remaining oxidizing
enzymes left in the leaves after they have been bruised and allowed to
partially oxidize, creating the basis for the complex flavors in the
finished tea. This roasting process traditionally happens using glowing
(not flaming) charcoal covered with rice ash to prevent flame ups, but most commercial volume factories in modern times use electric or gas ovens for
consistency and to prevent the accidental introduction of smoky tastes
into the leaves.Flavor:
The
flavor
of the crystal clear, reddish amber tea liquor has a woody sweetness with just a hint of cocoa beans that is
balanced out nicely with elements of dried stone fruit and dried flowers. The aftertaste of the moderately thick bodied infusion is woody-sweet and lingers nicely.Steeping Guideline:
We strongly suggest Gong Fu
style preparation with this Da Hong Pao. Rather than sticking
to a specific weight of tea leaves to water volume measure, we
recommend simply filling your gaiwan or Yixing style teapot 1/2 to 2/3
full of dry tea leaves, use water just under a boil and a series of
short steepings. If you prefer to use a weight to volume measure, try starting with 6 grams of leaf in a 100 ml gaiwan or teapot. For western style steeping, start with 2-3 grams of leaf (around 1-1.5 Tablespoons) per cup. Use water under a boil (195 degrees F), and steep for 3-5
minutes. Adjust the amount of leaf, steeping time,
and water temperature used according to your preference.For general steeping
guidelines for the different categories of Chinese tea and a short downloadable "how to"
video on Gong Fu style tea preparation, please visit our Chinese Tea Steeping Guide page.
About the Name:
The
name of this tea comes from a legend with many different variations. The main drift of
these legends is that someone in the royal family, usually the Emperor,
fell ill with a potentially fatal infection of some sort. To cure
this illness, the Emperor was served a brew made from the leaves of a
particular group of tea plants from the Wu Yi mountains in modern
Fujian. The Emperor was so moved by the mystical life-giving powers of
these unique tea plants that he had fine Royal Red silk robes, a sign of
their divine/imperial status, made for the trees to keep them warm and protected
during the cold mountain winters.
Weight: 0.025 lb
11.34 grams
0.4 ounces
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Dry Leaves
Wet Leaves
Wet Leaves 2
Infusion
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