Big Red Robe Fancy Grade Dark Roast

I received this as a sample in my Mandala order. Thank you!

Wow. Big Red Robe and I haven’t had a great track history so I had stashed this away and not thought much about it until the other day when I was cleaning up my samples box. Why did I wait so long to try this. Yum. Deep roast flavor, on the verge of chocolate, and malt. The end of the sip offers hints of fruit. This is actually the first Red Robe that I have brewed gongfu style and I think I might have to try the others that I own this way. I am on infusion #7 and it is still going strong. This is such a nice tea for the winter. I will have to add this to my wish list. Thank you for letting me try this one.

My first Big Red Robe and I am lovin it! Such a deliciously chocolaty, malty treat with a slight tiniest hint of fruit. Reminds me of those chocolate covered fruit candies but more chocolate and bonus no cavities

This is a tea that comes from a highly demanded tea region (Wu-Yi Mountain). This tea is grown on a rocky mountain which brings a unique tasting tea. Da Hong Pao teas can be some of the most expensive tea sold in the world. I do like this tea but its not my favorite Wu Yi tea. I do prefer the lesser oxidized version.

This is Dexter3657 #1 oolong and she shared this generous sample with me.

Just like black tea, it is hard for me to find some oolong I don’t like. But I have preferences and highly oxidized Wuyi are usually not my favourites. My tastes gravitate more towards greener oolong. Having said that, I still appreciate drinking it once in a while, but I will never keep a large supply around.

This one is beautifully crafted, dark long and slightly twisted strands.

The smell of the infusion is spicy and citrusy.

It’s malty and full bodied, a nice rich cup.

I get dried fruits, apricot maybe. The roasty taste in the background is quite enjoyable.

This type of oolong will never be my favourite, but it sure provides a nice cup nonetheless, and I can appreciate that.

And It’s always interesting to drink someone else’s favourite tea :-)

Thank you Dexter!

Edit: I am now at steep 5 (gungfu) and I don’t know if it’s because my water is considerably at a lower temp, but this is now very sweet and peachy, a completely different tea!

So, going into this one, I knew it had a lot to live up to as it’s Dexter3657’s favorite, go-to, accept-no-substitutes Holy Grail Big Red Robe. I was a little nervous too, because frankly I’d yet to have any Big Red Robes I adore—they’ve never been bad or anything, but they’ve also never really stood out (and I’ve tried some from excellent tea companies) despite being such a famous and revered tea type. Very grateful for Dexter3657’s willingness parting with some, thank you!

As it turns out, I can breathe a sigh of relief—this is delicious, far and away the best BRR I’ve tried. It’s roasty, cocoa-rich, smooth, and despite all that roasty delicious sweet flavor it’s not a bit heavy in an unpleasant way. I want to say it reminds me a little of Herbal Infusions’ Moose Tracks, that delectable sweet but not sugary, roasty coffee quality, but it’s been a while since I’ve had that one so I may be off…would definitely purchase this. Not quite the same as coffee, but would make a great early evening substitute nonetheless because it hits similar pleasure center buttons while still staying true to tea and its strengths (for one, that magic minerality that’s compelling, interesting, but not so strong as to be weird, just sort of melds with impeccable subtlety with the other elements, comes out at the end of the sip…and as it cools a fruitiness, I’m thinking stone fruits, the tendrils of flesh that cling to a peach pit, emerges). Hooray to Dex and hooray for my first hit with Da Hong Pao!

Not bad, quite different from another red robe tea I tried which I didn’t really enjoy (thepuritea). Strong roasted hay flavor, very autumnal. I generally don’t like smokey/roasted teas but this one would be ok in certain moods. If you like such flavors this one is hard to beat.

I love this tea – I had not known tea could have this deep roasty full flavor. Smelling it is like being in a forest – in a good way. Delicious.