Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe)

The quality of this sample is very nice overall with no stems or sticks to bulk it up. The leaves are dark brown with half having light brown tips, they are also curled and quite long and thin in shape. The characteristics are mostly down to the production, with this particular tea being highly oxidized and re roasted before being left to mature for years under specific conditions.

In turn it gives Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao) smoky yet floral and sweet characteristics that set it aside from many other Oolongs and teas in general. Plus this brews into the most wonderful orange colour that fills you with warmth whilst drinking.

The tea whilst raw smells like musky autumn leaves with notable floral and sweet highlights.

Once the tea has been washed by a 2 second gaiwan infusion it smells much stronger. Almost like roasted flowers and fermented fruit.

Using my gaiwan I will be adding 6g of tea and starting my steeps with 20 second infusions before increasing by adding an extra 10 seconds per subsequent steep. Water is at 95°C.
Steep One – 20 seconds

Orange brown in appearance with a very roasted nutty smell. Floral on the pallet with a hint of sweetness and a little dry. Despite being roasty there is a lightness there which restores balance between strength and freshness. It reminds me of cooked pecans.

Steep Two – 30 seconds

Golden brown in colour (a touch darker than previously). Smoky baked bread aroma and taste with more pecan/chestnut nuttiness but now with more sweetness. Also a little rice like.

Steep Three – 40 seconds

My favourite steep so far. It’s mellow and roasted with more smokiness and a lot more nuttiness.. Definitely roasted chestnuts in flavour with similarities to malted fruit cake.

Steep Four – 50 seconds

Colour has weakened to a light golden brown. Subtle now in taste and much more floral, so much so there is a slight dry perfumey tinge to it.

Steep Five – 60 seconds

My last steep. Only hints of bread and nuts now with no sweetness to speak of.

Overall this tea had roasted charm, sweetness, floralness, nuttiness, dryness, smoothness, freshness and fruitiness. At it’s best it mimicked a malted fruit cake/loaf which I find agreeable with this snowy weather.

Very different to the Teavivre Da Hong Po I had last night.

For pictures visit my blog.
http://kittylovestea.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/big-red-robe-da-hong-pao-in-all-its-glory/

I can’t believe I have not written a tasting note on this tea before. I try to write one on each tea that I drink, although it is rare that I write more on a tea I have already written about. This is a tea I received as part of my Canton Tea Club membership last Christmas. Ah well, time now to scribble something quickly.

The wet leaf has a roasted floral aroma and is very dark. The liquor is dark orange and has the same roasted aroma, but is more nutty. Tasting it, the roasted flavour comes through first followed by a floral nuttiness. It lingers on the tongue, transforming some of the taste into sweetness as the aftertaste develops. I could not imagine drinking this tea every day, but it is the right tea for the moment, and worth keeping around for when those moments occur.

Big Red Robes seem to be everywhere these days. A year ago, I didn’t even know what the hell it was, now I can’t trip over a tea bush without seeing a damn robe. That said, of all the ones I’ve tried, this is the only one that lives up to the hypothetically expensive promise of its regal origins. Sweet rice and fruit notes aplenty.

Full Review: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/12/02/review-canton-tea-co-big-red-robe-oolong-3/

To brew this tea, I used about a tablespoon of leaves and four cups of boiling water. Steeped in a glass teapot, it was easy to see the leaves as they released a burnt orange liquor. Upon initially steeping this tea, the first thing I noticed was the incredibly light mouthfeel. After the first cup, the flavour continued to linger in my mouth. This oolong has a much lighter taste than other oolongs I have tried. It’s a delicate taste, and very good.
The taste itself…in the first few sips of a cup, one can really taste the leaf, but the flavour seems to fade as one finishes a cup. Perhaps the initial flavour, light as it is, coats the taste buds in one’s mouth so that subsequent sips merely slide through the mouth.
Overall, I very much enjoyed this tea. The flavour was a bit too light for me, but it was still enjoyable to drink. This was very reminiscent of the oolong served in Chinese restaurants with Dim Sum.
I’ve decided that I will give teas that I review an approximate rating, on a scale of 0-100, based on my personal enjoyment of this tea (not it’s comparison in specific areas to other teas). Canton Tea Co’s Big Red Robe oolong receives a 92/100 for its exceptionally delicate taste, light mouthfeel, and lasting flavour.

EDIT: I later tried resteeping these same leaves. This was a major disappointment, as I got barely half of the original body and flavour. This lack of “stamina” in the leaves significantly decreased my rating of this tea (now an 85/100).

Review by Spencer E: “To brew this tea, I used about a tablespoon of leaves and four cups of boiling water. Steeped in a glass teapot, it was easy to see the leaves as they released a burnt orange liquor. Upon initially steeping this tea, the first thing I noticed was the incredibly light mouthfeel…”

Read the full review at: http://www.itsallabouttheleaf.com/640/tea-review-canton-tea-co-big-red-robe-oolong-tea/

The tea I have gotten from Canton is extremely fresh. These tea leaves smell like dark, unsweetened cocoa.
The liquor is definitely roasted flavor with dark, unsweetened cocoa notes. There are no sweet notes to this Da Hong Pao, it is very dominant in its roasted notes.
Has a great cream note and mouthfeel in the finish as well. Very delicious, this one is like dark coffee with cream and no sugar.