Big Red Robe

Preparing Christmas tea packages pretty much wiped me out of all my good black teas. This leaves me with some whites, a few greens, and a plethora of oolongs. So, I’m starting to dent the latter. It’s been awhile since I’ve revisited this Da Hong Pao, mainly because I have so many “red robes” at the moment. All so much red tape, really….but I digress.

I didn’t pay too much attention to temperature, but prepped it at the recommended two minutes. It came out as smokey as I remembered, but a bit higher on the fruit notes. I owe this in part to the slightly higher water temp. I actually enjoyed it better than the first time I tried it.

Initial Review Here: http://www.teaviews.com/2010/05/28/review-american-tea-room-big-red-robe-oolong-3/

Steeped it has a strong nutty scent.

Taste-wise, it has a nice roasted taste and a faint buttery sweetness. The finish is about medium in length and pleasant.

Sipdown no. 2 of March 2019 (no. 37 of 2019 total, no. 525 grand total). A sample.

This was among the lowest rated samples not yet sipped down, so when I was looking for my next sipdown candidate, I went for this and made a big pot Western style.

A very nice dark oolong that leaves a silkiness in the mouth. Nothing else to add to the original note.

I’ve never had Da Hong Pao before. Or at least I thought. But after tasting this Big red robe I must have had it in a chinese restaurant or something. There is something familiar about this tea, something standard.
I brewed this gong fu style. 4 steepings. could have done one more if not a couple.
It’s a super clean, bright cup. When smelling it I picked up on some incense, which was a nice complexity I hadn’t anticipated. Really enjoyed it. it’s a good after a meal.

well, i haven’t really liked most of the Da Hong Paos i’ve ever tried, but i like this one a bit better. mind you i’m only on the first steep, and it tastes smoky and dusty and dry, just like the others i’ve tried, but this one at least has some depth to it, am looking forwarded to future steepings….