鳳凰單欉 Fenghuang Dancong

March 14, 2021

Tea Culture

Phoenix Oolong (Fenghuang Dancong, 鳳凰單欉, meaning Phoenix Single Bush) is a charcoal fire roasted Oolong having an aroma of ripen peach and lychee fruits with honey accents and deep woody yet floral undertones.

Origins

Wudong (烏崠), located on the east side of Guangdong Province’s Wudong Mountain at an altitude of 1391 meters above sea level, is the most famous place for authentic Phoenix Oolong as it has the largest concentration of the hundreds of years old Single Bushes (Dancong, 單欉), including the 800 years old Song Zhong （宋種）.

These bushes are fed by water from “Heaven Lake (天池), a naturally formed volcanic lake on the top of the Mountain. The Wudong range is characterized by year round mist and wide swings in day and night temperature. The resulting moist air combined with the volcanic red soils rich in organic matters, minerals and micronutrients create the perfect environment for nourishing these tea trees. The leaves have a rich, delightful scent and volcanic soil contributes a special and complex note of minerals to the taste and aroma of the tea. Due to the slow growth of the trees at this high altitude, the leaves are harvested only once a year.

Characteristics

Each Phoenix Single Bush has its own fragrance and aroma (一樹一香) . In the distant past, the leaves of each bush were picked and processed separately to express its unique character. But in modern times, only the leaves of the famous cultviars ,such as Song Zhong, are processed singly. The leaves from all the other bushes of the same variety in a given area or owned by a family are picked and processed together, blending the different characters.

Fenghuang Dancong is one of the ten famous teas in China, and one of the four famous oolongs; Fenghuang Dancong鳳凰單欉，An Xi Tie Guan Yin安溪鐵觀音, Fujeng Cliff Tea福建岩茶, Taiwan Oolong台灣烏龍 . It is said that Fenghuang Dancong is the oldest, and the other three are its offspring.

Fenghuang Dancong has more than 80 varieties and 10 very well known white-flower based fragrance（十大香型）teas, such as Honey Orchid (Milan Xiang 蜜蘭香, Gardenia (Huangzhi Xiang 黃枝香), Osmanthus (Guihua Xiang 桂花香), Ginger Lily (Jiangmu Xiang 薑母香). Of these, Honey Orchid (Milan Xiang 蜜蘭香) is the most popular and accessible variety.

Teamber Tea’s Honey Orchid and Gardenia are from Wudong’s 250~350 years old Phoenix Single Bushes. The leaves are harvested once a year in late April or early May, undergoing three artisan charcoal fire roastings; roasting, resting, roasting, resting, roasting, with the final product finished in November. This fine roasting technique enhances the flavor and bring out its fruitiness, floral and honey taste.

Origins

Characteristics

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