If you stumbled across this article hoping to read more about the miracle weight loss drug, you should stop reading this article. This is about the ‘TRUE’ Wuyi Yancha, the teas grown on the cliffs of Mount Wuyi, not some hype miracle drug, not that Wuyi teas don’t deserve all the hype in the world.
Wuyi Cliff Teas are basically Oolong teas that are grown in the area of Mount Wuyi or Wuyishan, located in the north of Fujian province.
By far the most famous of all the Wuyi Cliff Teas is Da Hong Pao, the Great Red Robe or the Great Scarlet Robe. So much so that its status was raised from being one of the four famous trees to the most important of the famous trees. In fact, Da Hong Pao became a phrase to describe Wuyi Cliff Teasie that could refer to Wuyi Rougui. Iron Arhat, Golden Turtle, etc. like Da Hong Pao-s. So don’t be surprised when you see a Wuyi Rougui box with the words Da Hong Pao and Wuyi Rougui on it.
However, the ‘authentic’ Da Hong Pao refers to the 3 trees (later 6) of which thousands were spawned using asexual plant propagation. This results in there being a wide spectrum in the Da Hong Paos grade selling with 3 Pits and 2 Gullies fetching a premium. As for the original 6 trees, it is beyond the reach of the common man: in 2002, 20g of Dahongpao sold for 180,000 RMB which was equivalent to about 3 servings.
And it’s not just a question of money – it has only appeared at public auction 3 times (1998, 2002, 2004) – with an annual harvest of just over 100g, it is usually reserved for the upper echelons of the ruling party – not unlike ancient times. when the harvest was reserved as tribute for the Emperor. So if someone tells you that they are offering you the ‘original’ Dahongpao, unless the person is Hu Jintao or Wen Jiabao, credibility goes out the window.
Next on the list is White Cockscomb, without a doubt the next best known Wuyi Yancha. In fact, it has a longer history than Da Hong Pao.
Legend has it that there was a tea grower who brought a rooster as a gift for his father-in-law’s birthday celebration. On his way there, the heat led him to rest under the shade of a tree and he casually released the rooster. Suddenly, he saw that the rooster let out a cry of pain and fell dead by the tea tree. A centipede had escaped, apparently the culprit.
Discouraged, the farmer had no choice but to bury the rooster, under the tree no less. When he passed by the tree some time later, he discovered that the tree had grown taller than the surroundings and that the leaves had changed from green to a pale green, almost white hue. He took some leaves to prepare and was impressed by how amazing the tea tasted and thus the popularity of the tea grew.
That story is almost certainly tall, but there’s no denying White Cockscomb’s unique taste and appearance. It is also one of the most expensive teas due to its limited supply.
The other 3 trees are Iron Arhat, Golden Turtle, and Half Sky Demon, with the latter being Da Hong Pao’s eventual replacement.
By no means do these 5 teas constitute all of the Cliff teas, there are still Unknown Spring, Rock Milk, Old Handsome Brow, Narcissus, Rougui or Cinnamon and lesser known types like Mei Lan Xiang, Hong Mei Xiang, Jin Liu Tiao and Jin. Shuo Yes.
The cliffs of Mount Wuyi and its rich mineral soils make this an unrivaled breeding ground for the world’s best teas. Coupled with the fact that it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999, Mount Wuyi is untouched and maintained in its natural state, ideal for tea trees.
In fact, state regulation prohibits new trees from being planted on Mount Wuyi to maintain the natural habitat of the region’s flora and fauna. Therefore, Wuyi teas are in limited supply and the more famous breeds, especially those grown in the 3 Wells and 2 Ravines, can command a hefty price tag.
For fans, it’s worth every penny: few types of tea can match Wuyi Cliff teas in strong aroma and flavor, which is known as Rock Aura.
