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Cameron B. drank Da Hong Pao by Tea Drop

4330 tasting notes

Sipdown! (59 | 263)

Another little swap sample. I don’t know why, but Da Hong Pao just doesn’t stand out to me. I did try one from Mandala once that I remember liking… But otherwise they’re just kind of generically roasty?

This one is the same, very smooth and drinkable but a bit boring. The roast is fairly mellow – mostly autumn leaf and wood with some little hints of nuts or grain. And that’s mostly it really, it’s very one-note to my palate. A bit of sweetness appears at the end of the sip, which is nice.

I don’t know, maybe I just need more experience with roasted oolongs in order to be able to appreciate them more. Or maybe I just prefer hojicha when I want a toasty tea… ¯\(ツ)/¯

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Grain, Nuts, Roasted, Smooth, Sweet, Wood

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

I Like This

11 likes

2 comments

derk
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Old Ways Tea has some really good roasted oolong. Maybe one of theirs would light you up. Or maybe you just like hojicha. Nothing wrong with that!

Cameron B.
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I’ll have to give them a try, thank you! :)

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Comments

derk
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Old Ways Tea has some really good roasted oolong. Maybe one of theirs would light you up. Or maybe you just like hojicha. Nothing wrong with that!

Cameron B.
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I’ll have to give them a try, thank you! :)

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing