TeaChat

The original 4 trees are untouchable by mortals , but "cha mate" has had some from a cutting four steps down the ranking system and told me it was an amazing experience.

Finding this stuff online is probably impossible, but hey who knows maybe there is a chance of finding something resembling the original tea.

Another question, what Yixing would be suitable to brew this jewel?

Cheers.

postcardteas or eastteas.

The price looks OK. It seems a bit low, and I highly doubt the completely hand processed claim at that price, especially it being all done by one person. Perhaps, he meant he did all the processing himself?

Thanks. I'll have to order from PCTs as it seems ETs don't have any in stock at the moment.

I've got a pack of rou gui from postcard teas by the same guy, just waiting for the right time to break the seal.

I've got a pack of rou gui from postcard teas

Don't take too long and give us un update, OK?

That very mother trees are forbidden to use since 05(or near), when they made it, this pricy tea was shared by people like Hu Jin-Tao and exported to people like Kim Jong-Il.

Reported, they made 500g annually, following the traditional route,

Picking done on 2nd, May, pickers would wake up early morn, burn an incense and worship the ancestor, Yang Tai Bai. After having a breakfast, the leader would crack a firework, gather the followers. Then they climb the mountain, they should NEVER look backwords, or talk. Pivking is done usually during 9~10a.m and 2~5p.m, or they will have a difficulty making so tea taste won't come out very nice.

Sometimes, left-overs would go to auction, I've seen a news in some 2000's, 20g DHP was sold for 208000rmb (30000usd appx.)

Thanks for the info, chrl42. Very interesting.

I was thinking of travelling to the Wuji Mtns, jumping over the fence and fetch some of those leaves, hehehe.

mayayo wrote:Thanks for the info, chrl42. Very interesting.

I was thinking of travelling to the Wuji Mtns, jumping over the fence and fetch some of those leaves, hehehe.

That AK from the red army will have fox fur to wrap the barrel for Xmas.

We need a definition of "real" Da Hong Pao. It seems people have never agreed on one
We also need a definition of "real" manually processed tea. That's hard too. Because everything involves manual work and few things are done by hands only

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_i ... 978&ref=mf

The most expensive tea in the world is the original Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe) from Wuyi China. In 2002, 20 grams of Da Hong Pao sold for 180,000 RMB, which is approximately £16,000 ($23,000 US). In 2004, this same quantity sold for 166,000 RMB, or about £14,500 ($21,000 US). The original Da Hong Pao tea trees are over 350 years old. The tea has only been available for a public auction sale three times (1998, 2002 and 2004). Previously, it has only been offered to leaders of government, emperors, religious leaders, etc. In 1972, Mao Zedong gave President Richard Nixon 50 grams of this tea during his visit to China. As the story goes, Nixon was apparently insulted with such a "small" gift. That is, until someone pointed out that 50 grams represented 50% of all the Da Hong Pao harvested that year.
Fortunately for tea connoiseurs, cuttings (i.e. genetic clones) of Da Hong Pao have been taken from the original plants and grown commercially. Due to this clonal propagation, "secondary" Da Hong Pao tea is readily available at an affordable price to everyday consumers.

http://red-luxury.com/2010/09/29/chinas ... -tea-rage/

Looking for the world’s most expensive tea for your sipping pleasure…or perhaps to invest?

The most expensive tea in the world is the original Da Hong Pao (known as Big Red Robe) from Wuyi, China. A form of Oolong tea, it is one of the most famous Chinese teas with an intriguing legend. As the legend has it — the mother of a Ming Dynasty emperor was cured of an illness by a certain tea, and the emperor sent great red robes to clothe the four bushes from which that tea came from. The tea was first produced on Wuyi Mountain in the north of China’s Fujian Province.

Da Hong Pao’s attraction is its rarity. The authentic Da Hong Pao comes from cuttings of three of the original Da Hong Pao Tea trees that are still living on Wuyi Mountain and are believed to date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Some of the tea harvested go directly to the President of China while the rest are sold at auction. In 2002, 20 grams (about 2/3 of an ounce) of Da Hong Pao sold for 180,000 RMB or about US$23,000 at the time. The tea has only been available for public auction three times in 1998, 2002 and 2004. Previously, it has only been offered to leaders of government, emperors, and religious leaders. According to some reports, Mao Zedong gave President Richard Nixon 50 grams of Da Hong Pao during his visit to China in 1972. As the story goes, Nixon was apparently insulted with such a “small” gift. That is, until someone pointed out that 50 grams represented 50% of all the Da Hong Pao harvested that year.

Recently CCTV, the Chinese state television, reported that Da Hong Pao is becoming a hot commodity in China. Since last year, “prices of certain types of Da Hong Pao have increased tenfold. According to one expert interviewed by CCTV, the wholesale price for mid-range varieties of the tea has risen from between 200 and 400 yuan to around 4,000 yuan per kilogram, with retail prices reaching 20,000 yuan or more. CCTV found one retail shop in the Fujian city of Xiamen that claimed to be selling one variety for 200,000 yuan, or roughly $30,000, per kilogram.”

Like anything rare…fine wine, art, and cars…wealthy connoisseurs will pay top money, as will investors. Looking to diversify from the uncertain real estate and stock markets, eager Chinese investors have found their latest investment rage in this rare tea.

The real Da Hong Pao is not sold in regular market. Fortunately for tea lovers, you can find grades of Da Hong Pao for your sipping pleasure. The quality of the leaves is graded depending on how close to the original trees those trees are located with the best grades commanding top prices.

I am still determined to fetch some leaves of the sacred teas and will use my invisible armour of Qi to protect myself against the bullets and missiles of the Red Army.

Anyway, looking forward to having some of the clone stuff I just ordered from PC teas. I got a tiny Yixing, new clay, probably not the best thing to brew it but hey can't complain.

Only 3 Da Hong Pao trees left?

Why can't they plant more of these so called authentic Da Hong Pao trees for everyone?

GrandmasPuerhCakes wrote:Only 3 Da Hong Pao trees left?

Why can't they plant more of these so called authentic Da Hong Pao trees for everyone?

They have, but the DHP trees grown from cuttings are not the originals. The original trees have higher status than the generations of trees grown from cuttings that were taken from them. Also the older generations of clones have higher status than the newer generations because they are closer to the original trees.

DHP is plentiful and comes in a wide range of quality and closeness to the originals. But you will never see tea made from the original bushes.

entropyembrace wrote:Also the older generations of clones have higher status than the newer generations because they are closer to the original trees.

Closer in distance and growing conditions and age of the plant. Presumably the genetic material is the same.