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Da Hong Pao Oolong Loose Leaf Oolong Tea

13 reviews
£12.99
£12.99
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35p per cup

Style
ⓘYour precious tea really needs to be kept airtight and away from light once you open it - we'd strongly recommend one of our tins to keep it safe.
Do you need a tin to store your tea?

Perhaps the finest oolong in China, grown from a unique and ancient loose leaf tea cultivar in the Wuyishan UNECSO world heritage site.  Da Hong Pao means "Big Red Robe" and the tea is steeped in legend.

Dark amber in colour with a deep flavour. Notes of nutty chocolate, and a rounded, biscuity aroma like a vintage champagne.

35p per cup based on 2g of tea per 150ml of water and 3 infusions.

Wuyishan, Fujian province, China

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Recommended Infusion Guide

  • Quantity

    Use 2 - 4g of tea per 150ml of water.

  • Temperature

    For the optimum infusion wash the leaf with 100°C water, discard, and then use the fresh (slightly cooled) water to infuse.

  • Time

    Infuse for 1 - 2 minutes, tasting regularly.

  • Infusions

    You can infuse this tea at least three times. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

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How to infuse your tea is very personal, and these are just our recommendations based on experience. Please experiment with these variables to your heart's delight. These are our recommendations, not hard and fast rules. The most delicious tea is the one you love.

Our guide uses a standard tea cup size (150ml/5.5 oz) as a measure, please adjust the quantity of leaf accordingly for less or more water. Our whole loose leaves are of such a high quality that you can infuse our teas at least twice, and the second infusion is often better than the first, with different flavours revealed as the leaf softens. If you prefer your tea stronger, add more leaf, don’t leave it for longer (this will just make it bitter).

A gaiwan is the ultimate way to enjoy your oolong tea. Used in China since the Ming dynasty (over 900 years ago), gaiwans are unassuming but beautifully functional teapots that can be used to explore tea to its fullest – the following method can be used to make up to six infusions.

Start with 4-6g of oolong tea and pop it in the gaiwan teapot. Boil a kettle to 100°C/212°F, then pour an inch of the water on the leaf for a few seconds, then discard this liquid. This "wash" softens the rolled leaf and allows the water to penetrate.

Next, fill the gaiwan with hot water to just below the rim, infuse for 5-10 seconds and strain completely into your cup or a jug. There's no need to reheat the water as you go, because the softened leaves will require lower temperatures to release their flavours - but you will need to extend the time to 10-20 seconds for later steeps. We recommend at least six infusions to allow the leaf to completely open out and reveal all its beauty.

For a more comprehensive guide to using a gaiwan see our full guide here:

How to make Oolong with a Gaiwan

Here is a short video demonstrating how to get the most out of your precious oolong leaves with a gaiwan:

ROCK TEA

Da Hong Pao

This is an extremely rare and special tea, perhaps the finest oolong in China.

Grown from a unique and ancient cultivar in the Wuyishan reserve, a UNESCO world heritage site in the Wuyi Mountains. The terroir is extremely special, and this Da Hong Pao is also known as a "rock tea", because of the high mountain rock below the soil that enriches the leaves.

The legend of Da Hong Pao

Legends are all that survive as to why it is called the Big Red Robe...

It is said that the tea was so beloved by an Emperor - after it cured his mother of a life threatening illness - that he draped the base of the bushes in luxurious red robes to protect the soil in which they grew in the rocky ground.

It is still incredibly beloved across China (and now the world) and worthy of our most tender treatment.

ROASTED

Hand roasted over charcoal

The leaves are roasted over charcoal, allowing a deeper oxidisation and toastier flavour than Tie Guan Yin.

It is of such a high quality, that in even in China, this Da Hong Pao is extremely hard to find. Just a few kilos are handcrafted each year and it is necessary to visit the Wuyishan to purchase it. Thankfully Henrietta, the Tea Lady, has done that for us.

Customer Reviews
4.4 Based on 12 Reviews
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C
17 July 2023
Charles
United Kingdom

Not as I know it

I’ve been lucky enough to drink very good Da Hong Pao in China over the years and this sadly is poor quality and bears little resemblance to the real thing.

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MH
22 September 2022
Max H.
United States

Worth the price, would get again

This tea is lovely and subtle, with big flavors and smaller ones abound. I hope they restock this at some point so I can get another bag

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DW
07 July 2022
David W.
United States

Nice option

I'm still in love with Rare Lapsang Souchong, but Da Hong Pao Oolong is a very nice change of pace. Not at all smokey, but very nicely malty and distinct.

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LD
27 December 2021
Laura D.
United Kingdom

quality oolong

This certainly has more complexity and body than your average green or oolong with notes of malt and chocolate and cherry perhaps. I also like light floral teas like darjeeling and this will appeal to someone with a similar palate, particularly if you enjoy Himalayan cloud tea or second flush flowery orange pekoe. I am partial to a bit of tung ting which has a 'cleaner' fresher taste whilst this has more 'black tea' characteristics.

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The Rare Tea Lady believes that our teas are some of the greatest in the world, and that our range and service are second to none.

In the isolated case that you are not completely satisfied with any product you purchase from our website, please get in contact with our customer services team to discuss returning your order.*

In most instances, we will give you a full refund of the item's cost, excluding postage. We may ask you to return the item to us.** Customers in the UK & European Union have statutory rights not affected by this guarantee, but any tea pouches must remained sealed for this to be in effect.

*We only accept returns/refunds for tea within 30 days of receipt, because it is impossible for us to know if the tea has been stored correctly.

**We will endeavour to ask for pictures where possible - but if you have changed your mind and are outside of any statutory rights time period, return postage is payable by you.

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