"Da Hong Pao" is currently a highly debated topic, involving many aspects of Wuyishan rock tea and even deep-seated issues in Chinese tea studies. I am not an industry insider, nor an expert, just a tea drinker, so I can only briefly introduce what I know. Ultimately, you should rely on your own experience and verification. My words are just casual talk.
1. What people commonly refer to as Da Hong Pao are the six tea trees currently on the stone wall of Jiulongke at Tianxin Rock in Wuyishan. Counting from the first tree in the upper layer next to the stone inscription, they are numbered in order: the upper four (historically called the original) 1, 2, 3, 4; the middle layer is 5; and the bottom layer is 6. Although these six tea trees belong to the same type, they also evolved from the long-term natural hybridization of Wuyishan's Caicha sexual population, so there are individual differences. They are roughly divided into three different strains: 3 and 4, 2 and 6, and 1 and 5. The differences between the three strains and their historical stories will not be discussed here.
2. Da Hong Pao was originally a single bush rock tea and one of Wuyishan's four (or five) famous clusters. It is an excellent single plant evolved from the widely planted Qidan variety in Wuyishan. Historical records indicate that Da Hong Pao grew in multiple locations in Wuyishan: 1. Jiulongke at Tianxin Rock (recorded in Jiang Shunan's 1921 travel notes); 2. Tianyou Rock (recorded in Jiang Shunan's 1921 travel notes); 3. Zhulian Cave (recorded in transactions during the Qing Jiaqing period). It is said there were more than these three locations.
3. After the founding of the People's Republic, after long-term research by scientific institutions, successful asexual propagation was achieved, and it is now widely planted in the Wuyishan area. However, due to differences in mountain conditions, the tea's aroma and quality also vary.
4. Due to development needs and profit trends (preceded by the hype of Longjing tea and Tieguanyin), internal debates and conflicts arose within the rock tea industry. Externally, those who previously sold rock tea have now switched to selling Da Hong Pao. At the same time, concepts such as pure Da Hong Pao (asexually propagated varieties) and commercial Da Hong Pao (blended Da Hong Pao) emerged, artificially causing considerable confusion.
5. Currently, the so-called Da Hong Pao circulating in the market includes: one type is asexually propagated, but it depends on where it is grown; another type is blended (further divided into two kinds: one includes Da Hong Pao tea leaves in the recipe, and the other does not include any but has similar aroma, taste, and quality characteristics with its own features). Additionally, some Qidan varieties grown in other mountain fields are also called Da Hong Pao when sold.
In short, when a merchant in the market says they are selling Da Hong Pao, you need to clarify which of the above types they are referring to.