What does a lightly roasted single-tree Dancong taste like?
Tongtianxiang Dancong Oolong is a single-tree Phoenix Oolong from a 300-year-old gold-award tree at 1,200 meters on Wudong Mountain, hand-processed by Master Lin. The April 2020 spring picking yielded less than 5 kilograms of rough tea, and the finished leaf was lightly roasted, giving a creamy, silky mouthfeel with sweet mango, strawberry, and peach aromas and a long finish.
Most Dancong on the market is blended from several trees of the same varietal, so a single-tree batch offers a taste that cannot be replicated. Because the roast is lighter than the 2018 version, the texture stays soft and creamy. Brew with a high tea-to-water ratio and short steeping times to draw out the full tropical fruit character across many infusions.
Tongtianxiang Dancong Oolong is a rare single-tree tea from Wudong, Phoenix Mountain, hand-picked and processed by the experienced Master Lin from a 300-year-old gold-award ancient tree at an altitude of 1,200 meters. In April 2020, this ancient tree produced less than 5 kilograms of rough tea, an extremely limited yield. The finished tea, lightly roasted, offers a creamy, silky mouthfeel with rich, sweet aromas of tropical fruits such as mango, strawberry, and peach, leaving a long-lasting finish. This article will guide you through the unique flavor of this single-tree Dancong, brewing suggestions, and Master Lin's journey from self-taught tea maker to international gold award winner. For tea lovers in pursuit of ultimate flavor, Front Street Coffee also recommends paying attention to such single-tree ancient teas to experience the pure terroir.
This Phoenix Oolong tea is made from the Tongtianxiang varietal, entirely handcrafted by Master Lin, with raw materials from a 300-year-old gold-award ancient tree at 1,200 meters on Wudong Mountain. Phoenix Oolong is often called Dancong Oolong in the market, known for its varied aromas reminiscent of natural flowers and fruits. Because the fresh leaves from a single tea tree are limited, most Dancong teas are blended from multiple trees of the same varietal. However, all teas produced by Master Lin are picked from a single ancient tree, each batch offering an irreplicable taste and aroma. In April 2020, the total spring tea yield from this ancient tree was less than 5 kilograms.
This year's tea leaves are as excellent as in previous years, but the roasting level is lighter than in 2018, adding a soft, creamy layer to the taste. After rinsing with boiling water, the infused leaves release bold tropical fruit aromas; the tea liquor is exceptionally sweet and smooth, with notes of mango, strawberry, and peach. This jam-like sweetness lingers deep in the throat long after swallowing, a very typical example of single-tree Dancong.
This tea is highly resistant to multiple infusions, and we strongly recommend using a high tea-to-water ratio with short steeping times to fully release the complete flavor.
The roads on Wudong Mountain are winding and rugged, leading upward into mist-shrouded peaks. For tea pilgrims, witnessing the oldest tea tree clusters outside of Yunnan is an inspiration. Some tea trees stand tall and vigorous, others lean from mountain winds, some are planted by local villagers, and others are spread out like small orchards. Master Lin is a self-taught tea maker who uses fresh leaves from many iconic ancient trees to make tea. Although he does not own a tea garden, he prefers to rent ancient trees and process the tea himself.
Master Lin's family are not tea makers, making his achievements and passion all the more remarkable. He has been making tea for over thirty years, deliberately traveling across Phoenix Mountain to learn from the terrain and consult other tea makers. After building confidence in his tea-making skills, he began participating in tea-making competitions in 2002, while refining his expertise as a national first-class tea evaluator, and has won numerous awards, including the top gold award in the Dancong category at the 2007 Guangzhou International Tea Expo. Master Lin attributes his competition success to thorough preparation and a willingness to learn from fellow tea makers.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
