Phoenix Dan Cong, also known as Fenghuang DanCong in Chinese, is an oolong tea from Guangdong province in southern China. This variety of oolong tea grows in the famous Phoenix Mountains. It is an exceptionally delicious tea to drink gong fu style. With each brew, you can experience new aromas and flavors. Mostly floral, with some fruitiness, sweetness, and earthiness!
What Is Oolong Tea?
Oolong refers to a category of semi-oxidized teas (they sit between unoxidized green teas and fully oxidized black teas). The classic styles come from specific regions of China and Taiwan and are usually made from local cultivars that respond well to oolong processing, though today oolong is also produced in other tea-growing countries.
It can also be separated into four main types of oolong: Tie Guan Yin (southern Fujian province); Wuyi rock oolong (northern Fujian); Taiwanese oolong; and Dan Cong oolong from Guangdong province
DanCong Oolong
The word "Dan Cong" translates as "single bush”. A dancong oolong “garden” greatly differs from your typical tea garden. The word Dan Cong (单枞) means "single bush". Historically, Chaoshan farmers selected individual trees with distinctive aromas and then propagated them vegetatively, so each named Dan Cong comes from a specific mother tree line. Many of these plants are tall and tree-like compared to low-pruned plantation bushes.
What makes Dan Cong special are the distinct varieties, each of which resembles its own aroma.
There are ten classic Phoenix Dan Cong aroma types (gardenia, orchid, magnolia, honey orchid, almond, ginger flower, cinnamon, osmanthus, tuberose, jasmine), and well over a few dozen – likely hundreds – of named cultivars and selections behind them, with new lines still being selected and propagated. When a tea farmer discovers a new and unique flavor profile from their Dan Cong tree, they work hard to preserve it.
The two most famous Dan Congs are:
• Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong Oolong
Mellow and full, with a slight gardenia aroma.
Also known by its popular name "Duck Shit Aroma Oolong". Fortunately for us tea enthusiasts, the tea itself doesn't have the slightest hint of duck shit.
If you would like to find out more about this tea and why the name, be sure to check out our article — The Story Behind the Honey-Sweet Duck Shit Aroma Oolong.
• Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong Oolong
Prominent honey and orchid aroma with a light and sweet floral taste.
Some of the other varieties of Dan Cong oolongs include: Yu Lan Xiang (magnolia fragrance), Xin Ren Xiang (almond fragrance), Zhi Lan Xiang (orchid fragrance), Jiang Hua Xiang (ginger flower fragrance), Huang Zhi Xiang (yellow gardenia fragrance), You Hua Xiang (pomelo blossom fragrance), Rou Gui Xiang (cinnamon fragrance) Gui Hua Xiang (osmanthus blossom fragrance), and Mo Li Xiang (jasmine fragrance).
Brewing DanCong Oolong Gong Fu Style
Brewing guidelines for gong fu style Dan Cong Oolongs:
- water temperature: 212℉ / 100℃
- 1 gram of tea leaves per every 20ml of water (though locals brew their teas much stronger; they use 1.5 or even 2g of tea per every 20ml)
- time: rinse, then 5 sec + 5 sec for each subsequent infusion