2023 Shanhe Da Hong Pao | Wuyi Rock Tea Oolong

8.5 gram

CHF 40.00

2023 Shanhe Da Hong Pao | Wuyi Rock Tea Oolong

CHF 40.00

Free Shipping in Europe.

A Zhengyan Da Hong Pao from a single named rock, triple charcoal roasted and aged four years

Hand harvested • Triple charcoal roasted • 2023 production • Jigong Rock, Zhengyan core area, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, China

A deeper, more matured expression of Da Hong Pao with notes of coffee.

Producer: Tongxinshe Teahouse

A respected Wuyi house working with master tea makers in the traditional production area. Tongxinshe is committed to the classical methods of rock tea craft, with each release reflecting the hand of a named maker and the character of a named terroir.

Origin:Jigong Rock, Zhengyan core production area, Wuyi Mountain, Fujian, China

Adjacent terroir: north of Lianhua Peak, shared water source with Huiyuan Ravine

Production year: 2023

Tea type: Da Hong Pao, Wuyi rock oolong

2023 Spring Harvest

Wuyi rock teas are picked once a year in late spring when the leaves have reached full maturity. Only mature leaves are used, with stems and yellow leaves removed by hand in the months following the rough tea making. The 2023 harvest was processed and triple-roasted in the same year, then aged in controlled conditions through to release.

PROCESSING

The leaves were finished using a triple charcoal roasting process, slow-roasted over gentle charcoal fire across three stages. The triple roast is more demanding than a single or double roast and produces a tea with greater structural depth and longer ageing potential. Excess heat from the roast was allowed to settle naturally over nearly four years of storage, leaving the tea fully mellowed and ready to drink.

Da Hong Pao is traditionally a blended tea rather than a single cultivar. The classical Wuyi practice combines several cultivars to express the recognised Da Hong Pao character of depth, mineral structure and roasted complexity. This Jigong Rock release uses the classic old-variety material that the terroir is best suited to.

Color & Texture:

Deep crimson liquor, thick and viscous with a noticeable wall-clinging texture in the cup

Flavor Profile:

Coffee, plum, aged wood and a mature cellar fragrance on opening. Smooth on the palate, with the firm structural tension characteristic of core-rock terroir. Four years of maturation has softened the initial intensity into rounded, layered sweetness with a long, lively finish

Character:

Deep, structured, matured. A Da Hong Pao for those who prefer depth and mineral structure over fragrance

Gongfu method (recommended)

Tea: 8.3 g (one full sachet) in a 110 ml gaiwan or small Yixing teapot
Water: heated to 100°C, freshly boiled. Spring or purified water recommended
First infusion: pour gently along the wall of the vessel at a low height rather than from height, and decant slowly to preserve mellowness
First infusion: 10 seconds. Each subsequent infusion: add 5 to 10 seconds
The leaves will yield 8 or more quality infusions

Western method

Tea: 3 g per 200 ml
Water: heated to 95 to 100°C
Steep for 3 minutes, then strain immediately

Use: Suitable for gongfu service, after-meal pairing with savoury, roasted or umami-rich dishes, slow contemplative drinking sessions

Storage:

Keep sealed in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, strong aromas and humidity.

This tea is at its drinking peak now. The quality of the raw material and the careful triple roast also allow further cellar ageing to develop additional complexity over time.

Best before: No fixed expiry date. Well-roasted Wuyi rock tea improves with age when stored correctly.