Superior Da Hong Pao

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Da Hong Pao

Amazing

This is part of my Christmas gift from my husband. I'm not sure of why they need to use superior in their name. I guess like matcha with culinary, premium, and ceremonial, it kind of plays a role for the Western drinkers who like the terminology. Either way, it's a da hong pao. The dry leaf is highly drying. Dry desert woods with intense dry minerality. If you gong fu (and you really should!), smell the tea as you pour the water on the leaf.
I found it started with sweet floral tropical notes and then switched to charcoal. Now creamy butter. If you put the cap on right away or drink it Western style you won't get quite the same experience. The flavor is nice. Nothing that blows your mind but still lovely to consume. Charcoal, wet rocks, lots of minerality, plum, fresh rain on rocks, Petrichor. The mouthfeel is smooth, almost buttery. As I go further into the infusions (I think 5 now) the mouthfeel is less smooth but more like you licked a rock. The wet leaf is unique, a bit of raisins, a bit of charcoal, and slightly fruity.

My first experience with a Da Hong Pao, but my third time trying a "rock tea". The unique characteristics of this variety of tea hit me in a way that are hard to describe, but I love it. This Da Hong Pao is fantastic; I am sure I will be buying more soon.

This tea is superior as the title suggests. Smooth and earthy. Did an in home taste test with Da Hong Pao from two other well known online curators and this tea was definitely the winner.

This is my first time tasting Da Hong Pao tea. I really like the deep, and rich flavor. I served the tea to some of my serious green tea drinkers. We all like the mellow flavor of this tea.

Superior Da Hong Pao

Not a beginner type of tea. Very earthy, which can taste like licking rocks and I know that doesn't sound like a pleasant taste. I brewed this in my mineral rich pot and nearly knocked myself out because the mineral taste was so enhanced. So I tried it in a porcelain gaiwan, which brought out those floral notes. I think you have to be careful with your teapot and brewing method with this.

While purchasing other tea, I got a sample of da hong pao. This particular oolong is a yancha. "Yancha" translates to "rock tea," and the Wuyi region is famous for them. These teas are known as rock teas because of the high mineral content in the soil which gets pulled into the tea plants. It results in a very distinctive flavor, and that flavor is why da hong pao and other yanchas are so prized.

I was eager to try it out so I did at work by bowl-brewing it (basically, you get a large bowl like a matcha bowl, put the tea in there and drink it as it brews). That was a mistake - it was floating around in the bowl and it was hard to drink - a rolled oolong is better with bowl brewing. Chalk one up to experience! I next tried a porcelain gaiwan. This was much better - a nice tea to enjoy at the office. Really chill. I got home after work and used my clay pot dedicated to brewing Wuyi teas. MAGIC. A woodsy, almost pleasant leathery, slightly floral smell. A spicy, mineral taste fading to what I can only describe as a mellow pretzel. Very complex, and even more relaxing.

Definitely not for those who are used to flavored teas - if you are, and you want to try more traditional Chinese or Japanese teas, I suggest you work your way up to yanchas. This is something you want dedicated brewing tools for, and time to savor.

I don’t really care for the first waft of the scent after the brew...noticed the mineral notes that I don’t really care for....almost like a rock/earth scent. After awhile it develops to a more floral scent.