Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao

Da Hong Pao

$15.00
Weights: 40g

Shipping Policy (click to view details)

Da Hong Pao
Da Hong Pao
$15.00
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Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re a beginner, we definitely recommend our Go-to Tea Sampler Box. It includes 8 different types of high-quality teas, allowing you to discover your favorite tea in the most affordable way.

For finest taste, tea should be stored in a place that is cool and dry.

Rock tea is best enjoyed within a 3-year period.

Black tea is best enjoyed within a 2-year period.

Green tea and Oolong tea are best enjoyed within a 2-year period.

White tea is an exception. Its internal compounds evolve over time, enhancing its fragrance and creating a deeper, mellower taste. Therefore, it does not have a specific optimal drinking period.

All packages are shipped from China. Please kindly note that our teas are prepared at our warehouse in Fujian, which usually takes no more than 72 hours. Once ready, package will be sent to an international shipping company in Shenzhen, then shipped to the destination country. International shipping typically takes 14-21 days.

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What are the “roots” of Rooteas?

Rooteas tea making skills

Family-made

Our teas all come from tea-making families. Some are made by our own family, and others are crafted by families we've known and trusted for years. Not from an unknown source, but from real people and family producers whose craft we trust and have seen in person.

Rooteas family tea farm

Single-origin

It means you can actually taste where the tea comes from. It stays true to its own place, so the local soil, rocks, and climate all come through in the cup. With Wuyi rock oolong, you get that clear rock rhythm (Yan Yun) and a deep, lingering fragrance that only those rocky slopes can give. When you drink it, you're not just having a cup of tea, you're getting a small snapshot of that landscape.

Rooteas tea leaves

Transparency

We like to keep things honest and simple. When we share a tea, we share all the detailed information too, so you always know what you're drinking. We'd love to be the trusted tea partner you can turn to.

  • Name: Da Hong Pao (“Big Red Robe”)
  • Chinese Name & Pinyin: 大红袍 dà hóng páo
  • Type: Wuyi Rock Oolong
  • Origin: Wuyishan, Fujian
  • Harvest Time: Spring, 2025
  • Roast Level: Medium-full fire ("zhōng zú huǒ", "中足火")

           Click to learn more about our roast levels

  • Producer: Xiao Family
  • Tasting note: Dark chocolate, Toasty caramel, Cigar, Light sweet aftertaste, Bold and strong

We chose a traditional medium-full charcoal roast for this Da Hong Pao to bring out its strength and depth. After warming the gaiwan and giving the leaves a gentle shake, the dry leaf gives notes of dark chocolate and charcoal. The liquor brews a deep orange-red, with rich dark chocolate, cigar, and hints of ripe fruit in the body, followed by a gentle sweetness in the finish. This is a good daily choice for drinkers who enjoy rock oolong in a bolder and stronger style.

Da Hong Pao Mother Trees

 

The six Da Hong Pao mother trees on the cliff

On the Jiulongke cliffs in China's Wuyi Mountain region, six ancient tea bushes grow tightly against the rock face. They are the six original Da Hong Pao Mother Trees. The age of the Da Hong Pao Mother Trees exceeds 360 years according to popular belief. And they are the source of one of the world's most famous teas: Da Hong Pao.

Tea from these specific bushes was incredibly rare over centuries. They grew naturally in this hard-to-reach spot. It was almost impossible to grow more of them successfully elsewhere. This made their tea extremely precious.

But in the 1980s, Wuyi Mountain specialists discovered a method to propagate new Da Hong Pao tea plants. They did this by taking small cuttings (clones) from the original Mother Trees. This cloning method was a huge success. It meant farmers could finally plant and grow Da Hong Pao bushes in other suitable areas nearby. This allowed much more Da Hong Pao tea to be produced. However, tea made from the original Mother Trees themselves remained the rarest and most valued.

To keep these ancient treasures safe, an important decision was made. Since 2006, no tea has been picked from the original six Mother Trees. They are now protected as national treasures. Just one year before this protection started, in 2005, a tiny amount of tea showed just how valuable it was. A batch weighing only 20 grams (less than one ounce!) sold for an amazing 198,000 Chinese Yuan. That’s roughly $27,600 in today's money. This price makes it one of the most expensive teas ever sold.

 

Where Does the Name “Big Red Robe" Come From?

A famous story explains the tea's special name. Long time ago, a scholar started his journey toward the capital city. He was going there to take the very difficult Imperial Exams. Passing through the beautiful but rugged Wuyi Mountains, he suddenly became very sick.

A nearby Buddhist temple monk cured him with the local tea plants. Once the scholar recovered from his illness, he continued his journey to the capital and he achieved the highest score.

The emperor rewarded the scholar with a special red robe after he attained the highest score. The scholar expressed his heartfelt thanks by removing his precious red robe and placing it upon the tea plants which had restored his health. This act gave the tea its name: Da Hong Pao (“Big Red Robe”).

Tea: 8g

Gaiwan: 110–150ml

Water Temperature: 100°C / 212°F
(When possible, use spring water, purified water, or good-quality mineral water. Avoid using very hard water)

Use flash steeping (pour out the tea in about 3s). Do not oversteep. As the flavor begins to fade, extend each infusion by 5–10s as needed.

Note: Be sure to pour out the tea soup completely after each infusion. Do not let it sit in the gaiwan.

 

(Adjust the tea amount and steeping time to suit your own taste.)

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