2020 Handmade Da Hong Pao

 This is a May 2020 Handmade Da Hong Pao, originally purchased by us in September 2020. Due to shipping delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we only received it in January 2021. We're excited to finally be releasing this tea! Da Hong Pao (meaning Big Red Robe in English) is one of China's famous Wulong rock teas, grown in the steep Wuyi mountains in Fujian Province.

This is one of the best examples of Da Hong Pao that we have tasted. Notes of stone fruit, brown sugar and molasses. It has a unique woody note to it, with hints of tobacco and the body is velvety smooth with mild notes of sandalwood. While the brewed tea has intense, complex flavours, the body is smooth and velvety. The dry leaves have an almost oily look to them.

The tea has been made using the tea leaves plucked on April 25, 2020. The manufacturing follows the typical step of a handmade Chinese roasted oolong. The leaves are picked in the classic 'zhong kai mian format', which uses 3 slightly open leaves of new growth from the tea plant.

The most critical step to the production of this tea is in the hand roasting process. This is attained by placing the tea in bamboo baskets over an intense charcoal heat, where the leaves are roasted for roughly 10-12 hours. The leaves are then rested for around a month before the process is repeated until the desired amount of roast is achieved. Temperatures can reach 130°C in the basket.

Due to this incredibly long production process, tea that was picked in May will not become available on the market until August at the earliest. Tea that is available on the market earlier than this can often be inferior in quality due to a rushed process.

GONGFU BREWING STYLE