Name: Da Hong Pao Special Aged Vintage
SKU: TOO-CH-DHP-SA
Availability: InStock

Da Hong Pao Special Aged Vintage

$18.50 – $140.00

Oolong Tea
yan cha

Da Hong Pao Big Red Robe Special Aged Vintage

Style/Shape: long, strip-style leaf
Plucking Style: hand-plucked
Cultivar: Da Hong Pao

Oxidation: 40-45% oxidation
Roasting: charcoal-fired, medium roasting in the traditional manner

Appearance: open twist leaf style: long leaves, matte grey/black dried leaf tinged with a dark green edge
Flavor: lingering, persistent floral taste
Aroma: pervasive sweet aroma of osmanthus flowers & stone-fruit such as peaches and plums
Liquor: rich red/amber colored liquor

Origin Specifics:

Wu Yi Shan
Fujian Province, China

Harvesting Season:

Spring Pluck
(late April, early May)

Steeping Instructions:

Western-style steeping in a medium-large-sized teapot 20-32 ounces:

Use 1.25 Tablespoons (2-3 grams) of tea per each 6oz water
Rinse the tea in your teapot with a quick application of hot water
Immediately discard this liquid
Add additional hot water to start the 1st steeping
Re-steep 2-3 infusions at 2-3 minutes each.Water temperature should be 195°-205° F

Asian-style steeping in a small teapot under 10 oz or in a gaiwan:

Use 2.5 Tablespoons (5-6 grams) of tea per each 6 oz water
Rinse the tea in your teapot with a quick application of hot water
Immediately discard this liquid
Add additional hot water to start the 1st steeping
Re-steep 6-8 infusions (or more!) at 10 seconds to 1 minute each
Water temperature should be 195° F-205°F

Map:

More Interesting Information About Oolongs:

Note:

Oolongs are traditionally ‘rinsed’ before being steeped.
This is done with a quick application of hot water that is poured over the tea in the gaiwan or teapot and then immediately discarded.
The rinse water is not drunk – its purpose is to help the leaves begin to open during steeping.
Use additional appropriately-heated water for the 1st steeping and subsequent re-steepings.

Note On Steeping Oolong:

Oolongs exemplify the concept that some teas can be re-steeped multiple times and yield an incredible volume of drinkable tea.
This practice works best when the leaf is steeped in a small vessel, but it also works reasonable well using a large teapot.
Please refer to our steeping instructions for details.

Da Hong Pao is the most famous of the celebrated varieties of yan cha. Da Hong Pao oolong was an imperial favorite during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) and today it is still renowned throughout China for its deep, rich flavor. Four ancient Da Hong Pao tea bushes still grow in an outcropping that is located alongside a steep cliff wall in the Wu Yi Shan. But leaf from these bushes is not plucked for commercial sale – Da Hong Pao for sale today is plucked from tea bushes that are the cultivated offspring of other auspicious and reputable old tea bush lines.

Our Da Hong Pao Special Aged Vintage is unique because of the time it has spent maturing in perfect storage conditions. Similar to the benefits of long term aging that sheng Pu-erh tea enjoys, certain oolongs benefit from ‘resting ‘ or ‘maturing’ (provided the conditions are conducive to improving the taste of the tea). Putting certain teas away to rest and age is not a concept that is talked about much in the West – in fact, the idea of aging tea is virtually unknown here. But Asian tea enthusiasts will often select an aged tea – when possible – for the complex and rewarding taste that it will offer.

This, our most popular Da Hong Pao, is extremely complex and each infusion brings a new dimension of flavor to the fore. The floral nature of this tea is not cloying; in fact, the stony backbone of this tea tempers its sweetness perfectly. Tea Trekker’s Da Hong Pao Special Aged Vintage is full and rich and without astringency. It is drinking very well now and will continue to do so for several years.

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