This tea, more than any other, deserves the name "Big Red Robe."
So good, the smell alone is enough to give one goose-bumps.
Qi Dan, as it's known in Chinese, is one of the most highly prized rock teas, or cliff teas of the Wuyi Mountains. While it is often said that three clonal strains exist of the six Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao) mother bushes, genetic testing in 2009 revealed that only one, Qi Dan, is a pure genetic clone of these bushes, making it the truest Big Red Robe. These bushes, which sprout out of the cliffside in Jiu Long Ke (The Nine Dragons Nest), were those honored in legend, presented with a great, brocade robe, a gift to demonstrate the gratitude of the emperor for this tea having saved the life of the empress. The name "Big Red Robe" also refers to the reddish sheen that lies atop the green of the youngest leaves, making the tea bushes appear almost as if they are clothed in red.
Dry, its leaves have a rich, vegetal, ambrosial smell, reminiscent of a jade pool. This tea produces a burgundy brew with a penetratingly fragrant, floral aroma, with notes of honey, orchids, plumeria, honeysuckle, and fruit ripened on the vine. Its flavor is sweet, fruity, and floral, reminiscent of honey, Phoenix wulongs, and magical, distant places. This tea produces a somewhat dry brew, which leaves a savory sweetness on the back of the tongue and in the throat (strong huígān).
Lasts 8-10 brews.