Da Hong Pao

Da Hong Pao | 果韻大紅袍

 Tasting notes: Baked fruit, minerally, charcoal
 Origin: Wuyishan, Fujian, China
 Cultivar: 奇丹 Qidan
 Elevation: 350m
 Oxidation: ⦿⦿⦿⦿○
 Heavy roasted

Grown in a UNESCO site, this prized Rock Tea is nourished by mineral-rich soil and charcoal-roasted for a robust flavour.

Why we love it:

• It was once the reserve of emperors, and has a long history dating back centuries.
• It is harvested from plants that grow on the cliffs of Wuyishan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Fujian, where mountain streams flow over rocky terrain, feeding the soil and the plants with minerals, and giving the tea a distinctive minerally flavour. 
• It's double charcoal roasted for a robust flavour–an invigorating brew that helps you through the mid-afternoon slump. It also pairs well with rich food.
• It is made by a pioneering women-led farm, a rare sight in the tea industry. Meet the farmer.

Wuyishan’s mystic scenery of sheer cliffs, dramatic gorges, and sparkling rivers happens to be ideal for growing tea, as the porous rocks provide the best irrigation system. Teas from this area are called rock teas (岩茶 yan cha), and can be recognised by their distinctive mineral flavour.

There are many stories about its name "Big Red Robe". Legend has it that the tea was prepared by monasteries exclusively for the Emperor. It grew on precarious cliff edges, so monks trained monkeys to pick the tea, clothing them in regal red robes. Others say that the young shoots have a crimson tint to them, making it look like the fields are robed in red in the springtime.

What is oolong tea?