Undercover DHP Da Hong Pao

A very special blended Da Hong Pao made by 5th generation family of Da Hong Pao makers in the protected area of Zhengyan in Wuyi mountains.

Usually, we source single cultivar Da Hong Pao such as Qi Dan or Bei Dou for our Da Hong Pao selection. This is because there are lots and lots of average quality blended Da Hong Pao out there, using cheaper cultivars and younger tea bushes to ‘bulk out’ the tea with a sprinkling of some top grade cultivars (if you are lucky). Blending is a real skill in tea crafting but it starts with intent – either the blender’s intention is to make the most full-spectrum tea experience or is trying to find a way to make an affordable mix.

This blend is all about making the most complete Da Hong Pao experience possible with the best pickings out there with no consideration of price. It is blended by a 5th generation Yancha (Rock Oolong) maker with land in the revered Zhengyan protected area of Wuyi mountains. This seller does sell single cultivar Da Hong Pao (only Qi Dan and Bei Dou) but also creates this special, more expensive blend using these original cultivars plus others. He refused to tell us his secret blend as this is his family recipe.
All that I do know is that all of the leaves come from very well established 50 plus year plants in Zhengyan and have been roasted over Longan charcoal.
This Undercover DHP is a really full-spectrum experience. There are deep toasty and treacly depths, juicy stone fruit middles and zingy zesty, rocky tops to the taste and aroma. We loved it as soon as we sipped and we purchased a small quantity for a celebration tea to mark 50,000 subscribers on YouTube.
If you feel like treating yourself to a master blend Da Hong Pao then this is the tea for you.