Da Hong Pao Recommendations
Howdy folks!! Wondering where you buy your Da Hong Pao? And what vendors you’d recommend!! Thanks! :)
I like Teasenz’ Da Hong Pao
https://www.teasenz.com/da-hong-pao-oolong-tea
However, the shipping time can take a month.
I was looking on Mei Leaf— I was watching a YouTube video about deciphering DHP since it’s not always made with the mother bush leaves as people say it is…..(Qi Dan)
Am making sure wherever I buy from talks about the cultivar…. Bei dou is also a cultivar that is most closely related to — from a cutting of— the mother bush since DHP can be mixed with several cultivars of lesser quality and upsold as DHP…
Anyway, I’ll look into teasenz and prolly buy from Mei Leaf unless anyone else has other reputable sources !
I can suggest Old Ways Tea for sure. Their teas are high quality and always great. Sadly, I have no experiece with their shipping.
Wuyi Origin is good. I just reviewed one of theirs, comparing it to an unusually good Chinatown Shui Xian version to place it. That post goes through what a blended Da Hong Pao is, in contrast with one made from Qi Dan or Bei Dou, the two main original derivative cultivars. I’ve written more about that subject elsewhere, probably linked to in that:
http://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.com/2022/02/wuyi-origin-blended-da-hong-pao.html
I second Wuyi origin and like their aged DHP brick. The 2012 they used to sell is pretty good. the 2015 brick is alright too. smooth thick creamy, hint of sweetness. This is a blended DHP though, not a single varietal (like Qidan). https://www.wuyiorigin.com/collections/aged-wuyi-wulong/products/aged-dahongapo-brick-2015
Wuyi Origin is one of those rare companies that has a universally good reputation too. I guess major vendors tend to get beat up by naysayers more so than small outlets though, that people would find criticism for Yunnan Sourcing or White 2 Tea but then leave vendors like Seven Cups or What-Cha out of it.
I haven’t had Wuyi Origin’s Da Hong Pao, as I don’t drink a lot of yancha, but have liked many of their Dancongs and Fujian black teas.
“Authentic” DHP is hard to find and can be quite expensive. You can try Lazy Cat Tea, DaXue JiaDao, or Tong Xin She for very high-end Wuyi oolongs. Zhen Tea had a Da Hong Pao that was supposedly from a clone of the mother tree, but I don’t know if they still carry it. Again, I haven’t tried any of these vendors so can’t recommend them. I know there are some yancha drinkers on TeaForum if you want to read through their posts.
this Qidan from WuyiOrigin is supposedly a clone of a DHP mother tree https://www.wuyiorigin.com/collections/2020-wuyi-ming-cong/products/qi-dan-%E5%A5%87%E4%B8%B9-2021
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