What is Dahongpao Tea? What are the Characteristics?

As the best of the Four Mingcong, the buds of Dahongpao are purple. From afar, the tree appears to be covered by a red gown.The six original Dahongpao tea plants,found in Jiulongke,Tianxinyan,have a 300-year- old history and an annual output of less than 1kg. At the 2005 Mount Wuyi Dahongpao Auction Meeting,20g tea from the original Dahongpao trees were sold for 208,000 yuan. In 2006,Wuyishan Municipal Government announced Wuyishan Municipal Government's Decision on Special Protection and Management to the Original Dahongpao Tea Plants,to stop plucking the original Dahongpao tea plants,protecting the ecological surroundings and their survival.

In the 1980s,local tea institutes successfully cultivated Dahongpao tea plants.The processing of Dahongpao is with traditional technology and is more exquisite than other Wuyi Yancha.The leaves are even and compact. The color is fresh green. It has strong flowery fragrance and mellow flavor. The tea liquid is bright yellow. The brewed leaves are green with red edges. The fragrance still lingers even after seven or eight brewings. Currently,Dahongpao on the market are made from leaves of the asexually cultivated or transplanted tea plants and are called Xiaohongpao or 2nd generation Hongpao by tea merchants.

Dahongpao processing:

Fresh leaves →withering →(sunshine insulation or heating) →insulation→greening (shaking)→roasting (fixation) →first rolling → re-roasting → re-rolling → water baking →insulation →baking

TIPS

Be careful of tea merchants who sell other Wuyi Yancha under the name of Dahongpao.