| Mr. Chen is a student of the eminent Mr. Liu who produces our regular “Da Hong Pao”. By years of practice and learning, Mr. Chen’s has gained attention as a great young tea master in Wuyi Mountain. Using leaves from his garden at the center region of Wuyi Mountain and traditional processing techniques, Mr. Chen has perfected his own version of Da Hong Pao. During harvest season, he follows every step from picking to finish over the course of a few months, in the course of which he practices unusual scrutiny, taking care to never pick on a rainy day, and to only use tea bushes that are more than forty years old, and only to roast using charcoal made from local wood. During the tea’s withering, oxidation, kneading and roasting, Mr. Chen rarely sleeps for more than a few hours, paying continuous attention to controlling the moisture levels of the leaves and changes in aroma, knowing exactly the right time to move from one step to another. This attention to detail is evident in the deep flavor to his tea.
The charcoal roasting of his tea occurs in June, July and August. Each roast lasts from seven to ten hours with temperatures ranging between 70 C to 120 C, the temperature and duration increasing with each interval. Between each roast the teas are allowed to rest for a full month before being roasted again. This long roasting process is a relic from the pre-industrial era – originally a means to make the tea stable for storage over a long period of time. Indicative of its heavy roasting, the finished tea has a deep red color and an aroma as warm and smoky as a winter hearth. The richness of its flavor fills the entire palate without ever becoming bitter; instead it becomes even smoother with more sweetness in its later infusions.
Location: Fujian Province |
