Wuyi Rock Oolong Tea – Da Hong Pao No. 06 (Medium Roast) — ovanyu

Fire and Stone — Da Hong Pao at Its Most Grounded

The Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province are unlike any other tea-growing region on earth. Fractured volcanic rock, natural mineral springs, and a perpetual mountain mist create a soil environment of extraordinary depth — one that expresses itself as yan yun, the mineral "rock rhyme" that defines authentic Wuyi oolong and cannot be replicated outside this landscape.

ovanyu's Da Hong Pao No. 06 takes this exceptional raw material and subjects it to a medium roast: a deliberate, skilled application of heat that transforms the leaf into something altogether more serious. Where a lighter roast preserves floral brightness, a medium roast goes deeper — drawing out a rich, layered warmth, integrating the mineral body, and developing a complexity that rewards attention. This is Da Hong Pao for those who want more than fragrance. It is Da Hong Pao with weight.

Why Da Hong Pao No. 06

• Warm, Integrated Floral Complexity (Fù Hé Huā Xiāng) — The medium roast does not erase the floral character of this rock-grown leaf — it transforms it. The bright, open florals of a lighter roast become warmer, denser, more interwoven: dried osmanthus, roasted orchid, a hint of dark fruit beneath. The complexity is still there; it has simply been drawn inward, concentrated by heat into something richer and more lasting.
• Deep Mineral Rock Rhyme (Yán Yùn) — The yan yun of No. 06 is more pronounced than in a lighter roast expression. The medium roast integrates the mineral quality of the Wuyi rock soil into the full body of the cup — not just a note but a presence, felt from the first sip through a long, resonant finish. Cool, stone-like, unmistakably Wuyi. This is the quality that distinguishes a rock-garden tea from everything else.
• Rich, Enduring Sweetness (Chún Hé Huí Gān) — The body of No. 06 is full and round — richer than a medium-light roast, with a deeper baseline warmth and a longer-developing hui gan sweetness that builds slowly after the swallow. It does not announce itself immediately; it accumulates across sips and lingers well past the cup. This returning sweetness is the hallmark of a properly sourced, well-roasted Wuyi oolong.
• Medium Roast — Depth Without Dominance — A medium roast requires more skill and more time than either a light or a heavy roast. The craftsman is navigating a narrow range: enough heat to develop body, integrate the mineral character, and bring out roasted depth — without pushing into bitterness or suppressing the floral complexity entirely. No. 06 represents this balance executed with precision.
• Wuyi Mountain Origin, Traditional Charcoal Roasting — Rock-garden sourced from the Wuyi Mountains, processed through traditional withering, tossing, partial oxidation, and rolling, then finished with a medium-level charcoal roast. Every step of this process is a considered decision. The result is a tea that tastes like the sum of those decisions.

What's Inside

Origin: Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province, China
Type: Wuyi Rock Oolong (Yán Chá) — Da Hong Pao
Roast Level: Medium
Net Weight: 150g (5.29 oz)
Processing: Traditional withering, solar and indoor tossing, partial oxidation, rolling, charcoal roasting
Ingredients: 100% single-origin Wuyi rock oolong leaves

How to Brew

Hot Brew (Gongfu Style — Essential)
Leaves: 7–8g | Water: 120–150ml | Temperature: 212°F (100°C) — full boil
First infusion: 20–25 seconds. Add 10–15 seconds each round. Yields 8–12 infusions. Medium roast Da Hong Pao demands full boiling water — the heat is necessary to open the roasted leaf and release the full depth of yan yun and hui gan. Use a Yixing clay pot or porcelain Gaiwan. The character evolves across steeps: roasted warmth up front, giving way to mineral depth in the middle rounds, finishing with a long, clean sweetness.

Hot Brew (Western Style)
Leaves: 4–5g | Water: 12 oz (350ml) | Temperature: 212°F (100°C)
Steep 2–3 minutes for the first infusion. Reuse the leaves for 2–3 additional rounds, extending steep time by 30 seconds each time. A medium roast holds up well to Western-style brewing — the body and depth remain fully present.

Cold Brew
Leaves: 8–10g | Water: 600ml cold water
Refrigerate 14–18 hours. Cold brewing softens the roasted edges and foregrounds the natural sweetness and mineral undertone of the rock-grown leaf — a notably different experience from hot Gongfu, and worth exploring. Serve at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does No. 06 (Medium Roast) differ from No. 08 (Medium-Light Roast)?
A: The roast level is the defining difference. No. 08 is roasted at a medium-light level — brighter, more openly floral, with a lighter body and a more delicate mineral character. No. 06 goes further: the roast integrates more deeply, the floral notes become warmer and more subdued, the body is fuller, and the yan yun and hui gan are more pronounced. No. 08 is expressive and approachable; No. 06 is grounded and complex. They are two perspectives on the same outstanding raw material.

Q: What is yan yun, and why does it matter?
A: Yan yun — "rock rhyme" — is the mineral quality specific to teas grown in the fractured volcanic soils of the Wuyi Mountains. It manifests as a cool, stone-like resonance in the throat and the sustained body of the cup — a depth and persistence that teas from other regions simply do not have. In a medium roast like No. 06, the yan yun is more fully integrated into the overall structure of the tea, making it particularly pronounced.

Q: How many infusions can I expect?
A: Using Gongfu brewing with boiling water, expect 8–12 infusions. Medium roast Da Hong Pao is one of the most rewarding teas for extended Gongfu sessions — the roasted warmth that dominates early steeps gradually gives way to mineral depth and a clean, sustained sweetness in later rounds.

Q: Is this tea caffeinated?
A: Yes. Oolong tea contains caffeine at moderate-to-high levels. Boiling-water Gongfu brewing extracts caffeine efficiently, though the amount per cup is moderated by short steep times spread across many infusions.

Q: Is this suitable as a gift?
A: Wuyi rock oolong is among the most prestigious categories in Chinese tea, and Da Hong Pao at a medium roast level is a sophisticated, considered choice — appreciated by seasoned tea drinkers and a memorable introduction for those new to oolong. ovanyu's packaging is designed with a refined aesthetic suited to meaningful personal and professional gifting.