Hey China sent me a box full of samples a while ago and I still have to go through almost all of them. The weather is really bad and it almost feels like winter. That’s why I wanted to drink a warming tea. From all the teas I got, I picked the Premium Wuyi Big Red Robe because smelling the leaves made my mouth water.
Premium Wuyi Big Red Robe
This Premium Wuyi Big Red Robe comes from one of the plantations in the Zhengyan area in Wuyishan. This means that it comes from inside the park and that it is supposed to be the highest quality yancha. All real yancha comes from Wuyishan in China’s Fujian Province.
Big red robe is one of the most famous types of yancha (or rock oolong) and can refer to several things. It can refer to one specific type of yancha, or some people use it to talk about any kind of yancha. In this case, big red robe is used to talk about a specific kind of oolong tea.
Tea Tasting
- Water 99°C
- 3.2g for a 80ml porcelain gaiwan
These are leaves with a uniform shape. I see big leaves and they are twisted. The aroma is fruity, mellow and it has hints of a sugar sweetness. I’m getting a warm feeling when I’m smelling the leaves.
Infusion 1 (10 sec): some of the floral notes are coming through at the start. It’s floral with an underlying and mellow sweetness that sticks to the back of my throat. Really good infusion to start the session. The aftertaste is also noticeable, but not that intense.
Infusion 2 (15 sec): the first impression of this one is that it’s still mainly floral. There isn’t as much sweetness from the middle onwards and it’s more focused on floral notes. These floral notes are also what I’m feeling in my throat. The aftertaste is more intense and is sweeter than the actual infusion.
Infusion 3 (20 sec): floral notes are still present at the start but it has become more mellow. I’m getting subtle flavours that flow gently and they are really pleasant to experience. I’m also getting hints of an underlying sweetness, but that one is really subtle during the infusion. It’s a lot more intense in the aftertaste and then it’s similar to dark sugar.
Infusion 4 (25 sec): the colour isn’t changing that much, just like the flavours. It’s a bit floral at the start and it changes into a sugar sweetness towards the end. This sugar sweetness is really shining in the aftertaste. The energy and flavours are still mostly focused on my throat, which is typical for yancha.
Infusion 5 (35 sec): flavours are similar to the previous infusions and the energy is still really noticeable in my throat. I can’t remember a big red robe that had this kind of energy in the 5th infusion. I’m getting a warm feeling throughout my body and I feel very relaxed at the same time. Weird, but enjoyable experience.
Infusion 6 (45 sec): a bit more subtle, but the flavours are still noticeable. Floral notes are more intense again right from the start. I feel the sweetness has almost disappeared. There is only a touch of sugar in the aftertaste.
Conclusion
At the start, the Premium Wuyi Big Red Robe was more about the flavours but it became more about the energy and body sensation towards the end.
The package says it’s a tea without any bitterness and that’s absolutely correct. I didn’t get any bitterness or fresher flavours and it’s a mellow and pleasant tea to drink. It feels like the perfect companion that will always listen, no matter what you have to tell it.
If you are interested, you can buy it over here.
