Da Hong Pao Oolong
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Da Hong Pao Oolong
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Why this tea is so good

Da Hong Pao Oolong Loose Leaf Oolong Tea

8 reviews
£12.49
(33p per cup)

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.

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Customer Reviews
4.4 Based on 8 Reviews
5 ★
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4 ★
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C
17 July 2023
Charles
United Kingdom 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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LD
27 December 2021
Laura D.
United Kingdom 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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FL
26 September 2021
Fiona L.
Singapore Singapore

Da Hong Pao

1) amber color which was good 2) taste of tea wasnt full-bodied but it’s smooth. 3) no bitter taste on both tea n tea leaves after drinking For this price, it’s definitely worth buying.

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AB
19 July 2021
Are B.
Norway Norway

Skadoosh

This tea is a powerful serving of awesomeness. It has a smell of sun-dried wood and an earthy and organic taste. It reminds me of small lakes and streams, dry leaves and dark soil. It reminds me of home. This tea, together with a japanese sencha and an indian black tea, is the third pillar in my collection of teas. I have yet to find the fourth.

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LD
03 February 2021
Leslie D.
United States United States

An amazing tea

This tea has a wonderful depth of flavor. I don’t quite know how to say it, it is like a variety of flavors in every sip, each distinct yet somehow all one. I've been trying the various Chinese teas to see what I like, and this one has moved to the top of my list.

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Tasting Notes

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

Quantity

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

Temperature

For the optimum infusion wash the leaf with 100°C (212°F) 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.

Cost Per Cup

33p per cup based on 2g of tea per 150ml of water and 3 infusions.

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.

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

The Wuyishan Reserve

A UNESCO world heritage site in the Wuyi Mountains.

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.

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