Da Hong Pao Banyan Premium Oolong Tea

Da Hong Pao Banyan Oolong Tea is undoubtedly the most famous of the Five Rock Teas that grow in the Wuyi Mountains, in the region of Fujian in China: during the Qing Dynasty, it was even renamed King of Teas. Even today, near the temple of Tian Xin, some of the ancestral bushes of this renowned tea survive, which remains one of the most valuable and sought after ever.

It is an oolong tea of the highest quality with an intense and very characteristic aromatic profile. It is full-bodied, with a sweet and floral aftertaste that is felt in the throat before on the tongue, and that remains on the palate for a long time.

It has a pleasant minerality, much more delicate than the classic Da Hong Pao grown on soil of totally rocky origin: the word “Banyan” indicates a soil that is composed of only 50% rock, while the remaining 50% of the soil is composed of materials of different origin.

Tasting – Sight and smell

The leaves of Da Hong Pao Banyan Oolong Tea are large and rolled in shape, with an intense brown color and bronze shades. When infused, the leaves spread intense aromas of fruit (currant), rose and cocoa, as well as more delicate notes of wet rock, toasted nuts and sweet pipe tobacco. In the cup the liqueur is amber in color and the body is enveloping and velvety. It is an extremely complex and elegant tea, with a truly amazing aromatic range.

Tasting Notes

GONG FU CHA

The first infusion of Da Hong Pao Banyan Oolong Tea is characterized by sweet notes of lychee and rose, followed by light toasted hints of nuts, such as pecan. With the second infusion, the range of flavors reveals many nuances: there are notes of cocoa and petricore, as well as a pleasant sweet-salty contrast given by the minerality that is now felt most. Notes of caramel (crème brulee) and crunchy almond also appear, with a surprising sweetness. The third infusion and the following ones bring out again the floral hints of rose and some fruity notes of plum and cherry in alcohol. The finish has hints of toasted and caramelized dried fruit.

WESTERN

The first sip of Da Hong Pao Banyan Oolong Tea opens with very sweet notes of lychee, rose and linden honey, followed by hints of sweet cocoa, caramelized almonds and walnuts. The toasted notes remain very gentle and also the minerality is moderate, although clearly perceived on the palate. You can also feel notes of cherry liqueur, before the finish turns again on floral and sweet hints of honey.

Place of origin

Wuyi Mountains, north of Fujian province – China.

Production

The leaves of Da Hong Pao Banyan are long and rolled and undergo more intense oxidation than their southern cousin Tie Guan Yin. The rock teas, or “Yancha”, of which Da Hong Pao is part are more than one: it is not in fact a single variety of tea, but different cultivars that have in common the fact that they grow in the Wuyi mountain area, in Fujian.

Ingredients: Oolong tea.

How to prepare Da Hong Pao

To infuse Da Hong Pao Banyan Oolong Tea we recommend using Chinese purple clay (Yixing) or porcelain accessories. Heat the teapot before use with hot water.

For an Oriental-style infusion (gong fu cha), fill the Yixing teapot halfway with tea leaves, or the gaiwan with 5 grams of tea leaves per 150 ml of water. Heat the water to a temperature of 90°C: proceed to briefly rinse the leaves and then to an initial infusion of 25 seconds. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to exploit the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time (25 – 30 – 35…).

This tea has a longevity of at least 6 infusions.

For a more classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200-mL cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of 3 minutes.

For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the brewing time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly modified to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

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