Big Red Robe

I’m new to loose-leaf teas, having gotten hooked after a friend gifted me with a variety of teas. She wasn’t a fan of Oolong however, so I was on my own when I decided to order a couple. I choose Iron Goddess of Mercy and Big Red Robe because they’re popular varieties of Oolong, both names among the “Ten Famous Teas of China.” I liked Iron Goddess of Mercy, which tasted a bit astringent and metallic to me, but I loved Big Red Robe. My aunt loved this one very much right off from the first taste—and even asked for another cup which she rarely does. Described as “smooth” with “undertones of molasses” on the site and I think that’s an apt description.

I’ve tried this several times and it never compares well to Mandala’s big red robe, or Lapsang Souchon. This tea is just mildly woody and smoky and I’m left wanting more. I’ll finish the smallish bag I have and then go hunting in my cupboard for the better version. It’s in the ‘save for later’ or ‘break in case of emergency’ section of the cupboard.

This tea is not for everyone, but after purchasing on a whim a month ago, it has quickly moved into my list of top shelf favorites. It’s just a fantastic and unique tea for me. It’s right in my wheelhouse – and has enough that set it apart from others that I’ve tasted to make it really enjoyable.

I should note that I may not be drinking the same version of Big Red Robe that previous people have reviewed. This version (bought in 2020) is a blend. Taken from the TeaSource website:

“This tea was made by Mr. Tang Shuang Jiang and is a blend of teas from Jian Ou County (Jian Ou is next to Wuyi, a traditional rock oolong area) and Anxi County. Mr. Tang has a classmate in Jin Ou who makes Shui Xian, Mei Zan, Qi Lan, and Rou Gui teas. He took all four of these finished teas back to Anxi to blend with Ti Kwan Yin. He then roasted the leaves to create this traditional Big Red Robe flavor profile.”

The flavors I get on tasting are sesame oil, roasted nut, smokiness, malt, caramel, and even (dare I say) a hint of cannabis. These flavors melt together into a delicious liquor.

It’s also great for multiple steepings.

Perfect tea to drink on a cold autumn night, right before training your lethal Wu-Tang sword style techniques with the other monks.

I’m surprised to not see any note of sesame oil in the reviews! That is the number one flavor I get with this tea. It sounds kind of weird – and it sort of is – but it’s really wonderful. (There isn’t a flavor pre-made yet but I just sent in the suggestion.)

Based on this tea, I think my next journey might be exploring rock oolongs in further detail.

A nice sample of Big Red Robe that has a fairly mellow smokiness in the initial infusions, with an interesting taste of wet slate in the middle infusions. Fairly dynamic flavor range. I brewed this with a gaiwan, and have found even better results brewing it with a yixing. I have a friend that has brewed it western style, and the first infusion is the best, with the subsequent ones being considerably less enjoyable. So brewing style really has a big effect on extracting this teas full potential. If done well, its quite satisfying.

Longer review of this tea and how I brewed it is here:
http://journeyintoteaculture.com/big-red-robe-da-hong-pao-tea-source/

A flavorful oolong with woody & nutty overtones. The liquor is a golden orange in color. I sometimes catch a hint of chocolate on the finish. Mildly astringent.

The dry leaf is lovely: a large strip style oolong with a roasted nut aroma. I put 5-6g in my 150ml gaiwan and rinsed it well (the rinse came out bubbly/cloudy). Brewed for 1 minute at 190 degrees, it produces a honey-colored brew without a very strong aroma or mouthfeel, but it’s pleasant to drink. The 2nd through 4th infusions had the best flavor, after the initial strong roast flavor wore off a bit.