ZhengyanDa Hong Pao
A moment for tea
Da Hong Pao means “Big Red Robe,” a name associated with Wuyi’s historic mother bushes. Zhengyan means “true rock,” its growing area.
Mineral rock, dark fruit and cocoa.
Warm spice, cedar and toasted grain.
A layered cup with lingering rock rhyme.
- Tea
- Zhengyan Da Hong Pao
- Type
- Wuyi Rock Tea (Yancha, Zhengyan area)
- Origin
- Zhengyan, Wuyishan, Fujian, China
- Harvest
- 2025
- Cultivar
- Shui Xian
- Age
- 80 to 100 years
- Roast
- Medium roast
- Format
- Loose leaf
Brewing guide
- Tea amount
- 8 g / 100 ml
- Water temperature
- 100°C / 212°F
Ratio calculator
Suggested starting point: 8 g per 100 ml. Adjust to taste.
Infusion timings
- First infusion
- 5 seconds
- Second infusion
- 8 to 12 seconds
- Third infusion
- 12 to 15 seconds
- Following infusions
- Gradually lengthen as the flavour softens
Empty the vessel fully between pours and adjust the timing to taste.
Storage
Keep the tea well sealed in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight, moisture and strong smells. Reseal the packaging after each use to protect its fragrance.
Tasting notes
The character
of Da Hong Pao
Mineral rock and toasted grain
The opening cup brings a deep roasted fragrance and a firm, stony character. Toasted grain gives the flavour warmth, while a clean mineral impression provides structure. The roast supports the leaf, leaving space for the subtler notes to emerge.
Dark fruit, cocoa and warm spice
Dark fruit gathers beneath the roasted opening, joined by soft cocoa and warm spice. These flavours unfold gradually rather than arriving all at once. A natural sweetness holds them together, giving the cup depth without making it heavy.
Cedar and the later infusions
A gentle cedar note carries into the finish. As the leaves open through successive pours, the stronger toasted notes soften and fruit, floral sweetness and quieter woody tones become easier to notice.
Yan Yun rock rhyme
Yan yun describes more than a mineral flavour. It brings together the tea’s texture, structure, lingering fragrance and returning sweetness. Notice how the cup feels after swallowing: the aroma persists, the sweetness returns and a clean, stony impression remains.
Balance through the session
The experience moves from roast and mineral depth toward dark fruit, sweetness and a lingering finish. The pleasure lies in the way these layers become more integrated over successive infusions.
← Return to the oolong collectionOrigin & processing
The place behind the leaf
Zhengyan
The heart of Wuyi
Wuyishan · Fujian · China
Big Red Robe
Da Hong Pao means “Big Red Robe,” a name connected with Wuyi’s historic mother bushes. Modern Da Hong Pao comes from cultivated Wuyi tea plants. It may be made from a single cultivar or composed from several teas, with the aim of balancing fragrance, body and the enduring character of rock oolong.
Zhengyan and the Wuyi landscape
Our Zhengyan Da Hong Pao comes from Wuyishan in northern Fujian. Zhengyan, or “true rock,” describes the historic core rock tea area, where gardens lie among sandstone cliffs and sheltered valleys. Drainage, shade and local microclimates work together with the maker’s craft to shape the tea.
Banyan and other surrounding production areas form part of the wider Wuyi landscape. These names describe origin; they do not identify a single cultivar or determine every aspect of the finished cup.
Withering and tossing
Freshly picked leaves are allowed to soften and lose moisture. During yao qing, or tossing, the leaf edges are gently bruised. Alternating movement with rest encourages controlled oxidation and develops the tea’s aromatic layers.
Partial oxidation
Da Hong Pao is partially oxidized. This stage helps build its fuller body, warm aromas and dark fruit character. The maker judges the leaf rather than working to one fixed oxidation percentage, then applies kill green heat to stop enzymatic oxidation.
Rolling and drying
The softened leaves are rolled into long, twisted strips and dried. The finished leaf is typically dark brown to charcoal grey, sometimes with reddish tones. In water, the leaves gradually open and may show olive centres with darker reddish brown edges.
The role of roasting
Traditional Wuyi finishing may involve several roasts separated by periods of rest. Charcoal has a long history in this craft, while electric equipment is also used. The heat develops toasted aromas and depth, and the resting periods allow the roast to settle into the tea.
Lighter roasting tends to preserve brighter fruit and flowers; deeper roasting can bring cocoa, spice, wood and roasted nut warmth forward. A balanced roast leaves the underlying tea clearly present.
Resting after the roast
A newly roasted tea may have a pronounced toasted edge. Resting allows that impression to soften and become more integrated. The aim is a rounded expression in which roast, fruit and sweetness complement one another.
Colour and character
The liquor moves through deep amber, copper and reddish orange, depending on brewing strength and the tea’s processing. Its character is structured and warming, with the interplay of fragrance, texture and a long finish at the centre of each cup.
