大红袍 Dà Hóng Páo Standard

Da Hong Pao (大红袍) — Big Red Robe — is the most celebrated of the Wuyi yancha family, grown in the volcanic rock crevices of the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The mineral-rich basalt soil and misty microclimate of the Zhengyan ('true cliff') core zone produce a leaf with a mineral character — yan yun (岩韻), 'rock rhyme' — that no other region can replicate. This Standard grade comes from Wuyi Star, one of the most respected yancha producers in the region. The leaves are harvested in spring, withered, partially oxidised and then charcoal-roasted in the traditional style — a process that caramelises the sugars and builds the deep, lingering finish that defines great rock oolong. In the cup: roasted walnut, dark caramel and ripe plum in the early steeps, with the mineral finish building through the session. Eight to ten infusions from a single measure. An honest everyday Zhengyan Da Hong Pao at an approachable price. Worldwide delivery.