Da Hong Pao

This tea is an entry level tea from a brand with a close to 300 year history in Xiamei village and offered a very nice introduction to it. The teas description was honest and fitting and I found it to match the flavour notes and resiliency promised.

I have experimented a bit with water temperature and leaf ratios and depending on how you brew it you can emphasise fruit, exotic wood, and or caramel notes. The tea has mild soft floral notes and a good amount of cocoa. Overall it is quite enjoyable.

I used around 1.5 TSP of leaf in a 100ml gaiwan. The leaf is thicker and a little darker roast than another da Hong Pao I own at a moment and it is also much less floral. I started with water around 95°C. This time I brought out a lot of cocoa and fruit notes during this session.

30s scent: Fruit, stewed plums, soft spicy floral notes,cocoa, caramel, amber, cherry, roasted notes

Taste: roasted grain, spicy leaf note mixed with stewed cherries and brandied plums, caramel, cocoa, cream, sandalwood and amber. As you sip it the fruit moves to the forefront, with a boozy, spicy, powdery floral scent tempered by cocoa powder which increases in intensity in the aftertaste.

35 spicy herbaceous floral mix with cinnamon, fall leaves, soft spicy floral notes, sandalwood, and amber, over cocoa, faint roasted notes, caramel, cherry and plum and hints of mineral ttones mixed with cream, both peppery and creamy on the tongue. As it cools, cream and cocoa move forward over the other tastes.

40s cocoa, caramel,fruit, amber, roasted notes, cream, vanilla, soft floral notes. With spice, cocoa, and fruit in the aftertaste. Cocoa is heading towards the dense chewy notes of a browny.

45s. Caramel, roasted notes, warm exotic woods, sandalwood hints of resinous aged cedar, and amber, spice, pepper and cinnamon, cream, cocoa, apricot, vanilla and fading soft floral. cocoa again emerges on top as it cools.

60s caramel, amber, cocoa, vanilla, roasted notes, mineral notes, cream, hints of sandalwood, and pepper and more savoury spice. Cocoa, caramel, cream and roasted notes dominant.

80s cream, woody notes, cocoa,ash, mineral notes, caramel,vanilla, and amber.

2 min30s apricot, caramel, ash, amber, hints of artichoke, cocoa, cream, mineral notes and spice.

4 min, cream, apricot, artichoke, spice, honey, fading cocoa, mineral notes, resinous woods. Cocoa and mineral notes and hints of ash in aftertaste.

6min. Similar to above but weakening.

10 mineral, apricot, caramel, artichoke, ash, cocoa,grainy note.

I purchased this item http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/100g-DaHongPao-Wuyi-mountain-rock-tea-oolong-tea-in-China-perfumes-and-fragrances-of-brand-originals/1080289_1645407756.html.

The seller kindly repackaged it in his brand packaging with a beautiful line drawing print of Xiamei village and a map of the tea route between Wuyishan and Russia.

Altogether I do enjoy this tea and had a great experience with this seller.