Last night I was grumpy after getting a notice from my Landlord that the rent is going up. I can’t lie, I’m glad I am all stocked up on tea for a while, because my tea budget is about to go down. Having a bit of disposable income was fun, but living in San Francisco is challenging me at the moment.
Anyway, wuyi oolongs are some of my favorite, so i thought I would have this today. Da Hong Pao means “Big Red Robe” in Chinese
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Hong_Pao
I have a few wu yi teas but the description of this just intrigued me. Right after steeping, the dark thick leaves have a roasted coffee like aroma, due to the fact that the leaves are roasted over charcoal.
The tea liquor is a very light reddish brown. At first sip it seems almost unassuming, but as the tea settles onto your palette, amazing flavors of charcoal and plums appear, with a sweet, lingering finish like that of brown sugar or caramel. This tea is memorable, it really stays with you for a while. I had two steeps of it at work the other day and was very impressed with it.
I had a second steep with slightly less hot water. An aroma of molasses and caramel wafted up into the air. This cup has a bit more mineral flavor but still has the essence of plum and a slight burnt sugar sweetness. Utterly charming.
Me and the BF both really like Dong Ha Pao, and I believe it will keep well so I’m not regretting this one at all, just savoring it happily…
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I hope things get better and your challenges are conquered.
Thanks Scott, I might need to just up and move one of these days.
Yes, good luck with your challenges. San Francisco is beautiful. I used to travel there from Nevada for good sea food. I never really got to see any thing but the touristy part but it was just gorgeous.
Maybe I’ll try this. I haven’t found a big red robe that I like very much.
@Triumph – I like the wuyi oolongs so you’ll have to take this review with a grain of salt.
Hhhmmm, this is a “new” Da Hong Pao, since I last checked their site. I bought a DHP a couple yrs ago from H & S. I think it was $18 for 2 oz. I liked the flavors, but could only really get 3 good steeps out of the leaves. Did you ever get more than 2 steeps Amy? I do miss a good DHP, but I dunno if I want to drop $24 for1.5 oz & yet another tin sitting around. I wish they had more size options & samples.
Sorry about the rent increase – thats a bummer!
@Scott- I just got it a few days ago and haven’t tried steeping it more than twice. In any event I agree it would be nice if they had a sample size of it.
I think I’d rather spend $36 on a sparkling FF Darj-I can’t help it. Well, maybe I can, but I don’t want to. :-p
I hope things get better and your challenges are conquered.
Thanks Scott, I might need to just up and move one of these days.
Yes, good luck with your challenges. San Francisco is beautiful. I used to travel there from Nevada for good sea food. I never really got to see any thing but the touristy part but it was just gorgeous.
Maybe I’ll try this. I haven’t found a big red robe that I like very much.
@Triumph – I like the wuyi oolongs so you’ll have to take this review with a grain of salt.
Hhhmmm, this is a “new” Da Hong Pao, since I last checked their site. I bought a DHP a couple yrs ago from H & S. I think it was $18 for 2 oz. I liked the flavors, but could only really get 3 good steeps out of the leaves. Did you ever get more than 2 steeps Amy? I do miss a good DHP, but I dunno if I want to drop $24 for1.5 oz & yet another tin sitting around. I wish they had more size options & samples.
Sorry about the rent increase – thats a bummer!
@Scott- I just got it a few days ago and haven’t tried steeping it more than twice. In any event I agree it would be nice if they had a sample size of it.
I think I’d rather spend $36 on a sparkling FF Darj-I can’t help it. Well, maybe I can, but I don’t want to. :-p