Wu Yi Shan "Zi Hong Pao" Purple Da Home Pao Spring 2023

“Zi Hong Pao” is a purple varietal that’s a naturally mutated offshoot from the classic “Da Hong Pao” varietal. It’s also called “Jiu Long Pao” (lit. 9 Dragon Robe) or Wu Yi varietal #303. It’s “medium-leaf” class of tea, not purely Assamica or Sinensis. The leaves are thick and dense with a purple/red/green color when fresh.

Zi Hong Pao is a very rare tea with only about 10 mu of land in total producing this tea. The buds and leaf shoots are slow to grow and the harvest is the last of the spring harvests.

Perhaps the most special aspect of “Zi Hong Pao” is the lovely delicious, thick and pungent tea that it brews. I recommend drinking the rinse. With just a 10 second rinse you are greeted with a vibrant and viscous tea soup. The second through the fifth infusions are really full and exciting to drink. The 6th through 8th infusion is still quite strong and pungent but the needs to be pushed a little bit.

Truly a remarkable tea in pedigree, taste and experience.

Late-April Harvest

Area: Wu Yi Mountains, Xing Zhen, Cao Dun Village