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

Once the reserve of emperors, Da Hong Pao (“Big Red Robe”) is a highly prized rock tea grown in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wuyishan, China, where the plants are nourished by mountain streams and mineral-rich soil, giving the tea its distinctive mineral flavour.

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), and can be recognised by their mineral flavour.

Our Da Hong Pao has a strong fruit scent, reminiscent of the citrus essence released from an orange as it is peeled. It is charcoal-roasted twice giving it an aged oak barrel flavour while highlighting its mineral notes. As a bold and robust tea with a long-lasting aftertaste, it pairs excellently with rich food and helps expel dampness from the body.

There are many stories about its name. 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, hence the name “Big Red Robe”. 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.

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