Da Hong Pao & Wuyi Rock Tea

Yan yun (rock rhyme) is a mineral depth in the mid-palate — think wet stone after rain, a lithic structure beneath the tea's fruit and roast notes. It is felt as much as tasted: a persistent, cooling sensation in the throat that lingers long after swallowing.

Traditionally over lychee-wood charcoal in bamboo baskets. A master roaster takes the tea through 3–4 roasting sessions over several months, each followed by a rest period. The result ranges from light roast (floral, fruity) to heavy roast (dark chocolate, roasted chestnut), depending on the leaf quality.

Tea from the original six mother bushes is priceless, but high-quality zhengyan (core-area) Da Hong Pao from established gardens is available from around $15–40 per 10g. Banyan (semi-core) offers good value at lower prices. Avoid anything suspiciously cheap — it is almost certainly flatland tea relabeled.

Use a small gaiwan or Yixing clay pot, 7–8g per 100ml, full boiling water (100°C). Rinse once, then steep starting at 10 seconds. Add 5 seconds per subsequent infusion. A good rock tea yields 8–12 infusions. Let the empty cup cool and smell it — great yan cha leaves a honey-sweet fragrance in the vessel.

Zhengyan (core area, inside the scenic zone) is the highest tier, with the strongest yan yun. Banyan (semi-core, surrounding hills) is good but less mineral. Zhoucha (flatland) lacks rock character entirely. Within zhengyan, single-named-peak teas (e.g., from Niulan Keng or Huiyuan Keng) command the highest prices.