Big Red Robe

Big Red Robe is a legendary oolong grown on the mineral-rich cliffs of Wuyi Mountain. Legend says a scholar traveling to the imperial exam fell ill in the Wuyi Mountains. A monk brewed him tea from the rocky cliffs. It not only helped him recover, but revitalized him to help him pass his exam. He returned and draped his scholarly red robe over the tea bush in recognition of the tea’s role. 

Big Red Robe differs from other oolongs in that it translates geology into taste. The tea absorbs the essence of weathered rock, mist and ancient soil, which are then sealed in the leaves through careful oxidation and charcoal roasting. The result is a complex oolong with layers that shift with every steep. The leaves are dark and twisted, heavily oxidized to bring out their complex character. 

In the cup, the liquor is a deep amber-orange. The aroma is warm and inviting: roasted nuts, stone fruit, brown sugar, with a hint of orchid. On the palate, it's full-bodied and smooth, carrying notes of caramelized peach, molasses, and a distinctive mineral backbone—the famous "rock rhyme" that comes from Wuyi's volcanic soil. The finish is long and sweet, lingering softly. This is the tea for evenings when you're settling in with something that takes time—a long conversation, a slow meal, a book you've been meaning to finish. The kind of tea you steep five, six, seven times, noticing how the roasted warmth mellows into orchid sweetness, then turns mineral and clean.