Description

Dancong Oolong teas are kind of a “science of their own”. This applies on the hand within the wide and diverse world of pure teas. On the other hand, it applies especially within the smaller, but even more complex world of Chinese Oolong teas. Therefore, in order to describe and quality-wise position our Mi Lan Xiang Dancong Oolong Tea, we first need to shine some light on the general concept of Dancong Oolong teas.

Traditional origin regions of Oolong teas

The four traditional regions of origin of oolong teas are

• Wuyishan in the north of Fujian province, with its famous Rock Oolong Teas (also: ‘Yancha Oolong teas’). For  example, these are Da Hong Pao Oolong tea, Rou Gui Oolong tea, Shui Xian Oolong tea, etc.;
• Anxi County in southern Fujian, with the not lesser famous Tie Guan Yin Oolong tea;
• Taiwan, with its numerous renowned Oolong teas and pertaining cultivars. Among these are Oriental Beauty Oolong, Four Seasons Oolong, Jin Xuan Oolong, Dong Ding Oolong, Ruan Zhi Oolong, etc.;
• the ‘Feng Huangshan’ or ‘Phoenix’ Mountains in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. There Dancong Oolong teas have been grown and picked for more than 600 years now.

History and origin of Dancong Oolong teas

Center of the relatively large Phoenix Mountains (‘Feng Huangshan’) tea cultivation region is the mountain range’s highest peak, Mount Wudong. It locates near the town of Chaozhou, where the documented history of Dancong Oolong teas began about 600 years ago. In addition to literature references, clear evidence for this is the existence of the still productive ‘Huang Zhi Xiang’ variety Dancong mother bush of this very age.

The Dancong varieties represent an evolutionary intermediate stage of the tea tree’s spread from Yunnan into other regions of South and Central China. This marks an imaginary middle between the large-leaf, up to 20 meters high Yunnanese ancient tea tree and the small-leafed tea varieties growing in the form of bushes. As a result of this, the Dancong “half-tree bushes” combine features of both ends of the development line. Accordingly, Dancong bushes have relatively large and robust leaves and reach heights of up to 6 meters.

‘Dancong’ means “single bush”. The term goes back to a time when a Dancong Oolong as a matter of course would be picked from just one bush variety. However, in modern times economic considerations often play a decisive role especially for (mass) produced teas in the lower price segment. Accordingly, many Dancong Oolong teas on the market are blends of different cultivars. Not so our Spring Mi Lan Xiang Dancong, which is not only single-varietal, but also single-garden and single-picking.

In the old times, Dancong Oolong teas were highly valued ‘tribute teas’ at the imperial court. Back then, their best qualities were worth their weight in gold.

Types and similarities of Dancong oolong cultivars

The first existing, probably largely homogeneous Dancong Oolong tea bushes proliferated through their seeds. This caused a number of different Dancong Oolong tea varieties to develop already at an early stage. These differ in terms of taste and aroma characteristics , in the context of Dancong tea bush varieties often referred to as ‘fragrances’. Today, this fragrances remain unchanged due to the common practice of proliferating through cuttings of the bushes (“cloning”).

Tea connoisseurs distinct between at least 10 such ‘fragrances’ or Dancong oolong cultivars. Of these, the Mi Lan Xiang (= ‘Honey Orchid’ or ‘Snow Orchid’) Dancong tea bush has emerged as the most popular one. This is due to its relatively high sweetness compared to other Dancong cultivars. Other known Dancong Oolong varieties include the Fan Shu Xiang (‘Sweet Potatoe’), Ba Xian (‘Eight Immortals’), Huang Zhi Xiang (‘gardenia fragrance’), Tong Tianxiang (‘heavenly fragrance’), Jiang Hua Xiang (‘ginger flower fragrance’), Yu Lan Xiang (‘magnolia fragrance’), and Zhi Lan Xiang (‘orchid fragrance’) varietals.

Because of the rocky grounds of Phoenix Mountain, a shared property of all Dancong Oolong teas is their mineral ‘rock tea character’. Another shared characteristic is a certain floral astringency that is significantly more pronounced than in Wuyi rock teas. The latter is something that newbies to Oolong teas might first have to get used to. However, die-hard Dancong Oolong tea lovers will consider it as both a Plus and an indispensable Must. In fact, it will turn to pronounced sweetness in the tea’s aftertaste. Accordingly, after thoroughlx exploring the complex taste on the palate, it will eventually appear as pleasant.

Unser Ya-Shi Xiang Dancong Oolong (“Duck Shit Oolong”)

Origin

Ya-Shi Xiang Dancong Oolong Tea originates from Pingkengtou Village in Fengxi District, Fenghuang Town, Chaozhou, Guangdong. This region is renowned for producing high-quality Dancong oolong teas with a deep-rooted tea culture.

Terroir

The tea trees grow on yellow loam soil, locally referred to as “Duck Shit Soil,” common in the Chaoshan region. This nutrient-rich, mineral-laden soil provides optimal conditions for the tea trees. It imbues the tea with a unique taste, distinctive aroma, and health-promoting trace elements.

Cultivar

This tea comes from the Dancong cultivar, with trees in Pingkengtou Village reaching up to two meters tall. The tea trees are 20 to 30 years old, contributing to the tea’s exceptional quality.

Naming

There are a number of stories surrounding the unusual name “Ya-Shi Xiang” (literally “duck droppings aroma”). According to one of them, it has its origins in a legend. According to this, local farmers invented the repellent name after discovering the cultivar in order to protect the valuable tea trees from theft. Another theory relates to the visual appearance of the soil, which is said to look like duck droppings from a distance. In fact, the tea leaves themselves, with their grey-green coloring, also suggest a visual comparison to duck droppings.

Picking

The tea is harvested in autumn when the leaves are at their peak flavor development. The picking itself is carried out according to the classic Oolong standard. This means that only the ripe leaves and buds are carefully selected by hand.

Processing

Heavy roasting and oxidation levels beyond the middle are just as typical for Dancong Oolong teas as they are for Wuyi oolongs. Accordingly, our Ya-Shi Xiang Dancong is also processed as a strong roasted oolong tea with a medium+ degree of oxidation. For this, the freshly picked tea leaves first wither in the sun, then indoors for several hours. This process reduces the leaves’ moisture content by about 30%. Then, the now much smoother leaves undergo a mechanical ‘rolling’ process. This serves to break up the leaf surfaces in order to achieve the desired oxidation effect. The tea juices leaking from the leaf as a result react with air. This feature of oolong tea processing is one of the essential factors coining the characteristic taste profile of Oolong teas.

The subsequent 10-minutes roasting at about 200°C over charcoal fire stops the oxidation process and ‘fixes’ the tea leaves. Only now, the now extremely supple leaves, which at this stage have lost already more than half of their moisture content, are rolled into the characteristic long and tight, slightly curled shape. The final drying of the tea leaves at comparatively low heat in the oven (‘baking’) marks a break – or preliminary end – point of the Dancong Oolong processing cycle. Finally, the processed tea leaves undergo a final sorting run. This frees the leaf material from stems and inferior leaves. After this, a final roast ultimately completes the processing cycle.

Aroma, Taste & Visual Appearance

The dry leaves are brown-yellow, glossy, and evenly shaped, with a finely textured surface visible under sunlight. After infusion, the liquor is golden and crystal-clear, reminiscent of liquid amber.

The aroma is intense and multi-layered, featuring floral hints such as silver flower and gardenia. With up to 500 volatile aroma compounds, the fragrance unfolds like a bouquet of blooming flowers when brewed

The tea is full-bodied, fresh and smooth in taste. The fragrance composition translates into a symphony of no less captivating flavor notes. At this, the slight bitterness of the polyphenols balances the floral sweetness and leaves a long-lasting, refreshing aftertaste.

Preparation

Preparation recommendations are always a bit difficult, especially for an Oolong tea. This is because the Chinese way of preparing oolong teas widely differs from Western standards of tea preparation. In order to get the most out of this unique type of Oolong tea, the preparation of Dancong Oolong requires special care and attention.

First pour 6-8g of tea leaves (if possible in a clay pot) with 200ml of water at a temperature of approx. 85-90 ° C. Then, for Gong Fu style preparation, let steep for about 40 seconds for a first infusion that will capture the essence of the tea’s individual fragrance. After this, apply a slightly shorter infusion period time to a second infusion. Then, increasing the infusion period from steep to steep, this tea will produce several more delicious infusions. And each of these will show an individual taste profile.