Five Classic Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong I (Series One)

Ya Shi Xiang “Duck Sh*t Aroma” Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

– Why is it called the Duck Shit Aroma? Is it made from duck poop?

Ya Shi Xiang is one of the most famous and classic aroma of Dan Cong Tea, which is originated in Ping Keng Tou Village in Wu Dong mountain. Ya Shi Xiang literally means Duck Shit Aroma, “Ya Shi” means “Duck Shit” in Chinese. Is it just like the famous Kopi Luwak (Civet Coffee) which is made from coffee beans that are partially digested and then pooped out by the civet, a catlike creature? In fact, Ya Shi Xiang dancong tea has nothing related to any duck poops, Its name is based on several stories

Story 1: the tea is having a distinctive aroma, just like the premium perfume. The farmer afraid such a good tea tree will be stolen from others, so the farmer named it as “Duck Sh*t aroma” to prevent the tea tree from being stolen.

Story 2: the tea is grown on the yellowish soil, which look like duck poops. When the tea farmer being asked the name of the tea, he just made it up casually as duck shit aroma, as it is grown on the “duck shit soil”, but there is no duck poops inside of the soil.

Story 3: as the tea leaves of Ya Shi Xiang looks like the “Ya Jiao Mu Ye”, which is a leaves look like the foot of the ducks.

What does “Duck Shit Aroma” taste like?

The dry leaves of Ya Shi Xiang is strong and fat, its colour is dark green with some yellowish green in between. The aroma of Ya Shi Xiang is strong, it is being called as “Perfume of Tea”, it has strong floral notes and hint of fruity notes, and come with a very sweet and rich mouthfeel. You may find some astringency in the new tea, but a quick hui Gan/ sweet aftertaste will replace the astringency quickly. The taste is very persistence, which can be re-steep for more than 10 times.

Honey Orchid Aroma “Mi Lan Xiang” Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

 – a tea full of honey and sweet potato notes

Mi Lan Xiang is one of the ten most famous aroma of Dan Cong Tea, which is also the most widely known dancong tea. “Mi” means honey, “Lan” means orchid, Mi Lan Xiang literally means honey and orchid aroma. As of its name implies, it is distinctive in its sweetness, which is similar to the hint of honey and sweet potatoes notes. The sweetness is well balanced with its floral notes similar to the orchid aroma. Because of this lovable characteristics of sweetness, it is also considered as the entry level of aroma if you have never try dancong tea before.

Old Immortal Man “Lao Xian Weng” Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

–  a tea with the soul of an old immortal man

The name of this tea “Lao Xian Weng” means “Old Immortal Man” in Chinese. Its mother tree is very old with over 400 years old, originated in Li Zi Ping Village from Wu Dong Mountain in Chao Zhou, China. Traditionally, Lao Xian Weng means the legendary Daoist xian immortals, usually refers to a person or similar entity having a long life or being immortals. As the tea tree is very old, and having unique appearance just like an old man with immortal soul, people named this tea varietal as “Lao Xian Weng” (Old Immortal Man).

Lao Xian Weng is now one of the ten most famous and classic aroma of Dan Cong Tea. When brewing this tea, it comes with a mild and subtle aroma with various floral notes. It is very lingering in its taste which can be re-steeped for more than 10 times.

Night Blooming Jasmine Aroma “Ye Lai Xiang” Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

Ye Lai Xiang is one of the ten most famous aroma of Dan Cong Tea, originated from Shi Tou Jiao Village of Wudong mountain, Chao Zhou. It may be a lesser-known dancong aroma, as its production quantity is relatively less than other the renowned dancong aroma like Ya Shi Xiang and Mi Lan Xiang, but it is definitely one of the most aromatic dancong tea worth trying.

The name “Ye Lai Xiang” means “Night Blooming Jasmine Aroma” in Chinese. The name is based on a legend that the tea farmers make this tea at night, a high aroma is created during the tea-making process, the air is full of fragrance like flowers blooming at night. When brewing the tea, a mixed floral notes can be found, which is similar to the fragrances of flower like Night Blooming jasmine, Magnolia and Lilac. The floral notes is very natural, it is subtle and soft, with lingering aftertaste.

8 Immortals “Ba Xian” Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

– an impressive aroma brought by the “eight immortals”

Ba Xian, translated as eight immortals – is the eight famous immortals from the Chinese legend. The tea name is based on a story backed in 1898, there is a tea farmer took some graft of the “Da Wu Ye” tea tree from Qu Zi Liao village, and planted eight tea trees in eight different tea farm separately in Wudong Mountain, the characteristics of the grown trees is similar to each others even they are growing in different environment in the eight different tea garden. As these eight trees just like “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea”, people named the tea as Eight Immortals.

When brewing Ba Xian dancong tea, there is a natural Zhi Lan orchid aroma, with a mixed floral notes. It is one of the most aromatic dancong, with an undertone of forest feeling. It is especially lingering in its sweet aftertaste.