High Mountain Dan Cong Oolong Tea Tasting Set
We have put together a collection of our highest quality High Mountain Dan Cong Oolong varietals into one set!
In this set you will receive 8 grams each of the following teas:
Peach Fragrance 蜜桃香 (Mi Tao Xiang)
Special "Duck Shit" Ya Shi Xiang 特级鸭屎香 (Te Ji Ya Shi Xiang)
Jasmine Aroma 茉莉香 (Mo Li Xiang)
Orange Blossom 橙花香 (Cheng Hua Xiang)
Peach Pit Fragrance 桃仁香 (Tao Ren Xiang)
Old Fairy 老仙翁 (Lao Xian Ong)
Little Girl's Umbrella 娘仔伞 (Niang Zi San)
Note: Due to the roasted nature of these teas we always recommend you consider purchasing last year's harvest (when available), or purchase and hold to age for a year.
Below find our descriptions for each of the teas in the set:
Peach Fragrance 蜜桃香 (Mi Tao Xiang)
Seeing the name "Peach Fragrance," some tea enthusiasts might associate it with "Honey Orchid Fragrance."
While the names may sound similar, they both come from the same tea tree but differ in taste due to different production processes.
Next, let's explore the distinctive qualities of "Peach Fragrance" single-estate tea.
"Peach Fragrance" tea is made from materials processed with the scent of honey orchid, and it's named after the peach-like aroma found in the finished tea.
The natural honey aroma produced by honey orchid differs depending on the mountain location.
For example, there are sweet potato honey scents, floral honey scents, fruit honey scents, and peach honey scents.
The most common is the "sweet potato honey scent," while achieving the taste of "Peach Fragrance" is a more challenging endeavor for tea production.
"Peach Fragrance" cannot be easily produced. Its existence is quite unique.
To obtain a cup of single-estate tea with a peach fragrance, specific altitudes and mountain locations are required, along with a combination of climate conditions and meticulous craftsmanship during production to capture the essence of "Peach Fragrance."
Dry Tea Leaves: The tea leaves are tightly twisted, thin, and straight, with a glossy black-brown color and a natural sweet aroma.
Tea Infusion: The infusion is bright orange-yellow, with a smooth, mellow, and refreshing taste. It has a long-lasting aftertaste with a rich aroma.
It carries the luscious scent of water peaches and the delicate fragrance of orchids as a base note, along with the unique mountain charm of mature tea bushes.
Tea Leaves at the Bottom of the Cup: They are uniform and neat, with a vibrant and soft color, featuring red borders on green leaves. The aroma of peach lingers, accompanied by a sweet scent.
Our offering is grown at 700 meters!
Special "Duck Shit" Ya Shi Xiang 特级鸭屎香 (Te Ji Ya Shi Xiang):
Origin of the Name "Duck Shit Fragrance": Legend has it that a tea farmer, in his lifetime, once told visiting tea enthusiasts that the mother tree of this tea originally grew in Wuling Mountain. It initially appeared unremarkable but was later transplanted to a lower-altitude area by the farmer's family. Surprisingly, the tea trees thrived in the local yellow soil, which was colloquially referred to as "duck shit soil." When the first harvest was brewed, it caused quite a sensation with its exceptional taste. As neighbors inquired about the name of the extraordinary tea, the farmer, fearing that others might steal his discovery, casually replied, "It's nothing special, just tea grown in duck shit soil, and the aroma is like duck shit fragrance." This offhand name, born out of a desire to keep the truth hidden, has since stuck and spread.
Production Area of "Duck Shit Fragrance": The authentic production area of "Duck Shit Fragrance" primarily lies in the southeast slope of Fenghuang Mountain, often referred to as the "ridge of Chaozhou and Shantou." It is distributed in the northeastern part of Chaozhou, including Wuling Mountain, Wupi Mountain, Zhugan Mountain, Dazhi Mountain, Wanfeng Mountain, Shuangpi Mountain, and other areas, all at elevations above 500 meters.
"Duck Shit Fragrance" single-estate tea belongs to the category of Wuyi Single-Estate. It was selected from natural hybrid offspring of the Phoenix Water Narcissus population on Fenghuang Mountain through single-plant screening. It is asexually propagated, grows as a small tree, has medium-sized leaves, and belongs to the medium bud category.
Due to its fast growth, high yield, elegant fragrance, "Duck Shit Fragrance" is widely favored by tea farmers. Nowadays, grafting and cloning techniques are commonly used in the Phoenix tea area, leading to an increase in its cultivation.
Characteristics of "Duck Shit Fragrance": The dry tea leaves of "Duck Shit Fragrance" are thick, tightly curled, and dark brown with a glossy appearance. After brewing, the tea infusion exhibits a bright orange-yellow color, with a strong and uplifting fragrance that resembles floral and orchid scents. It possesses a unique and lingering mountain and honey aroma, with a rich and mellow taste, a strong aftertaste, and great endurance when it comes to multiple steepings.
Necessary Conditions for Producing High-Quality "Duck Shit Fragrance": First and foremost is elevation, as the saying goes, "High mountains and mist produce good tea," which is particularly apt for "Duck Shit Fragrance" tea.
Enjoying "Duck Shit Fragrance" single-estate tea emphasizes the "mountain charm," which, in simple terms, refers to the taste of single-estate tea grown at high elevations. Only tea grown at a certain altitude can imbue "Duck Shit Fragrance" with its unique mountain charm.
In the core production area of single-estate tea, such as Fenghuang Town, tea harvested at elevations above 600 meters is called high-mountain single-estate tea, while tea harvested at elevations between 400 and 600 meters is called mid-mountain single-estate tea, and tea harvested below 400 meters is referred to as low-mountain single-estate tea.
"Duck Shit Fragrance" follows the same principle, with higher elevations producing higher-quality tea. Our offering is grown at 750 meters!
Jasmine Aroma 茉莉香 (Mo Li Xiang):
Origin of the Name: Jasmine Fragrance Single-Estate tea derives its name from its aroma. When brewed, it naturally exudes the fragrance of jasmine flowers, hence the name.
The tea trees that produce jasmine fragrance are grown in the Maoyixi area of Fengxi District at an elevation of approximately 810 meters. They were selected as single plants from the natural hybrid offspring of the Phoenix Water Narcissus population. These tea plants belong to the category of sexually propagated plants.
If single-estate teas are considered rare and precious, then Jasmine Fragrance Single-Estate tea is the jewel among them. Records in "Chinese Fenghuang Tea" and "Atlas of Chinese Fenghuang Tea" mention ancient tree Jasmine Fragrance Single-Estate teas in Maoyixi and Zhuliu.
Jasmine Fragrance Single-Estate tea is a "noble tea" within the single-estate tea category, known for its limited quantity and rarity.
Tea Tree Characteristics: The tea trees are approximately 150 years old, with a height of 3.4 meters and a semi-spreading canopy measuring 3.2x2.5 meters. They have eight main branches near the ground, and the branching density is relatively sparse. The leaves grow obliquely on the branches. The mature leaves are 10 centimeters long and 4.6 centimeters wide, elliptical in shape, smooth on the leaf surface, green in color, slightly inwardly folded, thick and firm in texture, and gradually taper towards the leaf tip. There are 10 pairs of lateral veins, and the leaf margins are finely and shallowly serrated, with 37 pairs of serrations. The leaf edges have a slight wavy pattern.
Quality Characteristics:
- Appearance: Similar to most Phoenix Single-Estate teas, the tea leaves are tightly curled, dark brown, and glossy.
- Aroma: The internal aroma is rich, with a distinct jasmine fragrance that captivates the senses.
- Tea Infusion Color: Bright orange-yellow.
- Taste: Sweet and smooth, with a rich and layered profile.
- Tea Leaves: Thick, soft, and shiny, with a green center and red edges.
Orange Blossom Fragrance 橙花香 (Cheng Hua Xiang):
Orange Blossom Fragrance Single-Estate gets its name because its aroma is reminiscent of orange blossoms. The tea tree variety with an orange blossom fragrance is produced in Fenghuang Wuling, and locally, it's also known as "Hongdi."
Why is it called "Hongdi"? Because when the teeth-shaped leaves of this tea tree first grow, the stem underneath is red. Additionally, when you observe the dry tea leaves, you can also see that the leaf veins tend to be reddish.
Orange Blossom Fragrance tea doesn't belong to one of the top ten fragrance categories but falls into a distinct fragrance type.
Tea Tree Characteristics: These tea trees are small, bushy, with medium-sized leaves growing near the teeth, and their appearance is open. The leaves are elongated ovals, and the branches crisscross, appearing slender and fragile.
Quality Characteristics
- Finished tea leaves are tightly curled, with uniform shape and a high, clear internal fragrance with a hint of honeyed sweetness.
- When brewed, you can distinctly smell a light floral and honey aroma. The taste is mellow and sweet, with a quick aftertaste, and the fragrance is rich and enduring.
Our High Mountain Orange Blossom Fragrance was grown at 750-800 meters
Peach Pit Fragrance 桃仁香 (Tao Ren Xiang):
Peach Pit Fragrance (Tao Ren Xiang), a unique fragrance type, belongs to plants that reproduce sexually. It has a small tree-like appearance, falls into the category of medium-sized leaves, and is a late bud variety.
Phoenix Single-Estate Tea - Tao Ren Xiang
This original variety got its name from the fragrance of peach kernels found in the Narcissus tea plants of Wuling Mountain in Fenghuang. It has a cultivation history of over 150 years. Since 1984, the Fenghuang Town government has organized the cultivation of old bushes through stem cuttings, and it has now developed into asexual reproduction descendants of the Tao Ren Xiang old bushes.
Subsequently, it has been introduced to the Phoenix high mountain tea region.
The tea bushes are relatively tall, with the spring tea picking season occurring 5-9 days after the Grain Rain period.
The finished tea leaves are tightly curled, dark brown, with a clear and high fragrance. The tea liquor is golden yellow, with a rich peach kernel flavor and a unique taste, making it extremely resilient to multiple infusions.
Our offering is grown at roughly 800 meters!
Old Fairy 老仙翁 (Lao Xian Ong):
Origin of the Name: The term "Lao Xian Ong" refers to a respected immortal figure in Chinese mythology. It is also one of the finest teas among Phoenix single-estate teas. According to "The Illustrated Guide to Phoenix Single-Estate Teas in China," it received its name because the tea bushes are ancient, possess unique characteristics, and seem to exude a mystical energy. Additionally, the tea offers exceptional fragrance and flavor, rivaling the Eight Immortals single-estate tea.
Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea is cultivated in the Lizaiping Village of the Wuling Mountain region at an elevation of 1100 meters. Some of the mother trees of Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea have been propagated through stem cuttings or grafting, creating asexual reproduction descendants. These descendants are now cultivated in the high mountain regions of Wuling.
Lao Xian Ong belongs to the category of "Huang Zhi Xiang" (Yellow Branch Fragrance) among the top ten fragrance types.
Characteristics of the Tea Bushes: The mother bushes of Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea are relatively tall, with a height of over 2.7 meters, an open canopy, and a main trunk with a diameter of approximately 1.04 meters. The branches of the mother bushes are dense, with the lowest branches starting around 20 centimeters from the ground.
Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea sprouts in early April, and the spring tea is harvested in early May. The budding density is moderate and uniform, with light green sprouts that are free of fuzz. The new shoots are relatively short, measuring 4 centimeters in length and carrying 3-4 leaves, with an internodal length of 0.7 centimeters. The new shoots of Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea grow in three cycles each year. Due to the advanced age of the bushes, their reproductive growth has weakened, resulting in recent years without flowers or fruit. Consequently, the yield is relatively low, with each bush producing approximately 3 jin (1.5 kilograms) of tea.
Characteristics of the Tea: Lao Xian Ong single-estate tea leaves are tightly rolled, dark brown, and glossy. It emits a clear and elevated fragrance, and the tea liquor is golden yellow with a rich and smooth taste. The tea has a sweet aftertaste and a distinct mountainous quality, with strong returning sweetness.
Appreciating Lao Xian Ong tea is a delightful experience for tea enthusiasts.
Our Offering is grown at 940 meters
Little Girl's Umbrella 娘仔伞 (Niang Zi San):
"Niángzǎi Sǎn" (Little Girl's Umbrella) is a premium variety of Phoenix single-estate tea. It earned its name because the tea bushes have a low and flat appearance, resembling a large umbrella. From a distance, it appears as if a little girl is holding up an umbrella, hence the name "Niángzǎi Sǎn." These tea bushes grow at an altitude of approximately 1100 meters.
Due to the rarity of this variety, many tea enthusiasts have not heard of it, and it is seldom seen in the market.
"Niángzǎi Sǎn" belongs to the Yulan Xiang (Magnolia Fragrance) series, with the mother bushes being around a hundred years old.
Dry Leaves: The tea leaves are tightly rolled, with a grayish-brown and glossy appearance. The inner fragrance is still clear and elevated. As it belongs to the Yulan Xiang series, it carries a fragrance reminiscent of magnolia flowers.
Tea Liquor: The liquor has a bright golden color and a mellow taste. The initial seven flavors are smooth, with a delicate and silky texture. The tea possesses a distant mountainous and floral quality.
Tea Leaves: The leaves are uniform, neat, lustrous, and emit a faint fragrance of magnolia when lightly sniffed.
Appreciating this tea is a delightful experience for tea connoisseurs.
