Here I am to enjoy a big red Robe. Its leaves are long and have an incredible volume .
The smell is forested, mostly wooded . This type of tea is very famous and is even extremely famous but I read anything and everything about it ( picked by monkeys wearing red dresses in honor of the emperor, tea trees dressed with a red dress honoured by the emperor to thank this tea to have healed the mother of the Emperor … ) I cannot tell why this tea is called like that but it grows well on Mount Wuyi and that’s the point.
A translucent orange liquor is obtained.
A the first sip , my olfactory impression is confirmed , I have the impression of riding into a forest : moss, mushrooms , bark, wet earth , nuts … that’s what this tea reminds me immediately.
Mushroom is for me the most prominent flavour followed by wood. This tea also has a mineral note , some rock-y taste , which must be explained by its origin.
Some cocoa notes are also present . The texture is very light, very refreshing , and while cooling I begin to detect a little fruity note .
This tea is complex. I imagine it must be very suitable for Gong Fu Cha session and reveals incredible flavors in short, multiple infusions. But … it is already very good Western style .
You can see pics of my session with this roasted Oolong here : http://thevangeliste.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/fujian-da-hong-pao-big-red-robe-wuyi-rock-oolong-tea-teavivre/