Da Hong Pao, known as the "king of tea", has made countless tea drinkers fall for it. It is produced in Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, China, and is known for its unique rock fragrance and charm. However, there has always been a controversy about the classification and attribution of Da Hong Pao: is Da Hong Pao black tea or oolong tea?
To answer this question, you first need to understand the difference between black tea and oolong tea. Black tea and oolong tea differ in terms of the production process, tea color, taste, and aroma. Black tea undergoes a full fermentation process, and its color is ruddy, the taste is mellow, and it has the characteristics of sweet aroma and fruity aroma. Oolong tea, on the other hand, is a semi-fermented tea, with a color between black tea and green tea, with a fresh taste, high aroma, floral and fruity aromas.
The production process of Da Hong Pao mainly includes the steps of drying green, drying green, making green, finishing green, rolling and baking. Among them, the purpose of drying and drying green is to allow the water in the tea to volatilize, and at the same time promote the metabolism of tea plants, so that tea plants can accumulate more nutrients. Greening and finishing are the key steps to form the unique rock aroma and charm of Da Hong Pao, and the best quality effect is achieved by controlling the fermentation time and temperature. Finally, after steps such as kneading and baking, the big red robe is made.
It can be seen from the production process that Da Hong Pao belongs to the category of oolong tea. Its degree of fermentation is between that of black tea and green tea, with the mellow taste and fruity characteristics of black tea, as well as the fresh aroma and high floral aroma of green tea. Therefore, it is not appropriate to classify Da Hong Pao as either black tea or green tea, and it should be regarded as a separate type of tea - oolong tea.
So, why is there such a controversy?This is mainly due to historical and geographical reasons. In the traditional classification of tea in China, tea is often classified according to factors such as color, shape, and production process. However, due to the differences in the name and classification of tea in different regions, the attribution of some tea leaves is disputed. For example, "Tieguanyin" is called oolong tea in some places, while in others it refers to another type of tea. This has caused a lot of trouble to people, and many people who have just entered the tea ceremony are confused.
In addition to historical and regional reasons, there are also some misunderstandings about people's understanding of Da Hong Pao. Some people believe that the soup color of Da Hong Pao is red, so they classify it as black tea. However, this classification method is not scientific. Because the color of the soup cannot be used as the only criterion for judging the type of tea, factors such as the production process, taste and aroma of the tea should be comprehensively considered.
To sum up, Da Hong Pao should be regarded as an independent oolong tea. It has a unique manufacturing process, taste and aroma characteristics that are different from other black teas and oolong teas. When tasting tea, we should appreciate its unique rock fragrance and charm, and feel the historical culture and craft spirit behind it. In this way, we can better appreciate the charm of the big red robe.