2023 Dong Pian Da Hong Pao Yancha - Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea

In Chengdun Village, nestled near Wuyishan National Park, certain high mountain areas yield a winter harvest of rock tea, in addition to the traditional spring harvest. This winter rock tea is meticulously harvested during the autumn months, typically commencing in mid-October and concluding by late October. Following an intricate production process, these teas are made available during the winter months.

Distinguishing itself from the typical light roast applied to winter oolongs, the producer of this particular tea enlisted the expertise of an experienced tea artisan. Over the span of more than ten hours, the tea underwent an additional charcoal baking process, resulting in a nuanced baking level slightly less than medium. This unique approach enhances the flavor profile, presenting a tea that marries the characteristics of winter harvest with the craftsmanship of an extended charcoal bake.

Da Hong Pao (大红袍), or Big Red Robe, is probably the most famous rock tea. This Da Hong Pao is made purely from the Qi Dan cultivar, one of the cloned cultivars from the six original bushes of Da Hong Pao. Bei Dou is another cloned cultivar that's debatably claimed as Da Hong Pao by some people, but the dominant opinion from the academia in recent years is that Qi Dan is the original Da Hong Pao.

Due to the cultural importance of the tea and the low yield of the original bushes, Da Hong Pao from the original trees is the most expensive tea in the world, running upwards of 30 times its weight in gold. The original trees of Da Hong Pao were already forbidden from being harvested by the government since 2006.

Pure Da Hong Pao teas like this one are scarce and only consist of a small portion of the Da Hong Pao market, while many Da Hong Pao tea products are blended from Shui Xian, Rou Gui, or other rock teas to create a balanced flavor.

Although there are many stories about the origin of the name, the most common one involves a scholar who got sick and was cared for by a monk. Eventually, the scholar gave the monk's tea to the emperor to cure his wife's illness, at which point a red robe was bestowed upon the tea tree by the emperor himself.