Spring 2014, Da Hong Pao (大红袍)

Da Hong Pao (大红袍) literally: “Big Red Robe” is a premium, prestigious variety of the Wu Yi Yan Cha. Legend has it, the emperor of Ming Dynasty sent great red robes to clothe the four bushes from which that tea originated after his mother was cured of an illness by a certain tea. Three of these original bushes, growing on a rock on Mount Wuyi still survive today. Due to its high quality, Da Hong Pao tea is usually reserved for honoured guests in China only unreached by us mortals. highly expensive, Da Hong Pao can sell for up to US$1Million/kilogram. 

Prior to this tasting, Both Tei and I felt Pek Sin Choon’s Royal grade Rougui was the best Wuyi we ever tasted. Complex both in it’s taste  and aroma, Rocky mineral mixed exotic fruits like lychee favour lingering in your mouth leaving a sweet aftertaste.

Today, finally we are trying the revered Da Hong Pao. My friend Tei managed to get hold of a 15 grams sample from JKteashop. Our expectations are high with all the raving how good this is. We just had to have a taste of it. Will this be our next favourite? 

REVIEW

Tea Source: Jkteashop 2014 zhengyan Da Hong Pao

Water source: Hyflux Filtered Tap

Water Temperature: 90-95deg

Tea Leaves rinsed prior to first influsion

1st infusion: Wow, Malty chocolate with fruity undertones. Feels like the combination of Tie Lou Han and Rougui.   

2nd infusion: Malty with a slight dark Chocolate aroma and taste. This follows by a rocky mineral aftertaste. The mineral resembles that of Pek Sin Choon’s Royal grade Rougui’s Rocky favour.  

3rd infusion: 3 distinct layers can be tasted in sequence. First malty chocaolate like not overpowering but just nice. This followed by the solid mineral taste and finally finishing off with a fruity citrus aftertaste that lingers in your mouth even after all that golden liquid is gone.  

4th infusion: Surprisingly the malty chocolate taste is now more mild and can be felt in the undertones. The dominate favour is the strong rocky mineral taste hits you straight with a fruity citrus aftertaste. 

5th infusion: The strong rocky mineral taste is maintained followed with mixture of mild chocolate & citrus aftertaste.  

6th infusion: Corner stone where the malty chocolate favour makes way for the fruity melting pot of lychees and exotic fruits after which you can experience the with a strong mineral aftertaste. 

7th infusion: Same sweet fruity experience without the rocky mineral aftertaste.

CONCLUSION

There are two concepts on Da Hong Pao; One is pure Da Hong Pao tea directly from Qidan tea variety, which is very limited in output every year; another is commodity blended Da Hong Pao(using Shuixian, Qilan, Beidou,Huangguanyin, Rougui and other variety to blend the tea) to make its aroma and taste similar to pure Da Hong Pao or better than pure Da Hong Pao. 

Da Hong Pao summaries all the characters of the famous wuyi yan cha. If they say durian is the king of fruits, Da Hong Pao is the king of Wuyi Ya Cha!!!