What does luwak coffee origin have to do with Phoenix Dancong?
Phoenix Dancong oolong comes from Fenghuang Town in Chaozhou, China, where individual old tea bushes are picked and processed separately. In this year's cold, dry season, the tea trees sprouted slowly and picking was delayed by two to three weeks, but the slower growth gave the tea a longer, fuller finish than in previous years.
Clear days before picking are essential, so rain forces growers to wait. The trip secured Milan Fragrance, Wenzhong Dancong, Old Tree Duck Shit Fragrance and Old Tree Song Zhong; the rescued Wenzhong tree will be sold at auction from next year, with prices possibly tripling. Luwak coffee origin, by contrast, lies in Indonesia, where civets eat and excrete the beans.
Chaozhou Phoenix Town is the core production area for Phoenix Dancong oolong tea, but what story lies behind the peculiar name "Duck Shit Fragrance"? This article records our tea-seeking experience in Phoenix Village: this year's climate was on the cold side with less rainfall, which slowed tea growth but brought a more lasting finish. We reserved several old tea trees and purchased excellent-quality Milan Fragrance, Wenzhong Dancong, as well as Old Tree Duck Shit Fragrance and Old Tree Song Zhong. Among them, the Wenzhong tea tree was rescued from near death and revived; the owner, Mr. Wen, out of gratitude, finally agreed to sell the fresh leaves, but starting next year it will be sold by auction, and the price may more than triple. Front Street Coffee especially recommends this batch of old-tree tea with outstanding value—worthy of attention from coffee and tea enthusiasts.
We stayed in Phoenix Village, Chaozhou for a while, specifically to explore Phoenix Dancong, and wanted to share with you what we saw and gained from this trip.
Compared with previous years, Phoenix Village overall had lower temperatures and less rainfall this year. We noticed similar climate trends across various production areas in China and Taiwan. Because of the cold weather, the tea trees sprouted slowly, and the picking period was delayed by about two to three weeks. However, tea that grows slowly often retains its fragrance longer, and we clearly felt that this year's tea had a fuller finish than in previous years.
To make high-quality Phoenix Dancong, consecutive clear days before picking begins are crucial. Once it rains, the tea masters can only keep waiting for the next stretch of clear days before they can start picking. Clear weather is essential to the finished Phoenix Dancong; it brings layered, uplifting aromas. This year's picking season had less rainfall, and the flavor concentration was quite satisfying. I was especially delighted by the Milan Fragrance—its quality was impressive. We successfully secured both Nongxiang (heavier roasting, richer flavor) and Qingxiang (delicate and refreshing) versions of Milan Fragrance.
"Dancong" means "a single bush." Phoenix Dancong oolong tea is picked from individual tea trees and is the rarest category within Phoenix oolong tea.
We reserved several old tea trees in advance and bought the tea as agreed. The quality was stunning—the tea's flavor and mouthfeel were extremely long-lasting, and it went down smooth.
Among the Dancong teas we managed to buy this year, one is called "Wenzhong." This tea comes from a famous tree and is one of the oldest tea trees recorded in the Phoenix Dancong Tea Book. I think every villager on Wudong Mountain knows this tree.
At first, my tea supplier told us he did not plan to buy Wenzhong again this year. However, a miracle happened. At the last moment, Mr. Wen, the owner of Wenzhong, agreed to give the tea to my manufacturer.
In fact, the Wenzhong tea tree nearly died a few years ago. It was my manufacturer who stepped in to help Mr. Wen rescue the tree. Through his efforts, Mr. Wen's tea tree recovered and was ultimately saved. Because of this, Mr. Wen, out of gratitude, agreed to sell the fresh leaves to my manufacturer. At first, as market prices kept rising, Mr. Wen was unwilling to sell the tea this year. But after lengthy negotiations, he finally relented. However, Mr. Wen said that starting next year he will put the tea up for auction. I guess his tea will be more than three times as expensive as it is now. I think this is probably the last time we will introduce Wenzhong.
Duck Shit Fragrance is picked from two specific tea trees.
Besides Dancong oolong tea, we also procured quite a few interesting teas. For example, we specially selected Old Tree Duck Shit Fragrance made from two old tea trees.
We also specially selected Old Tree Song Zhong made from three old tea trees. These teas do not come from a single bush, but because the raw material comes from specific old trees, the quality is excellent. We strongly recommend these teas because the price is not as high as Dancong oolong tea.
In addition, we also purchased some entry-level teas. This year we launched several new Phoenix teas. After the pesticide testing is completed, the tea will probably be ready in about a month.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
