Phoenix Dan Cong

Sipdown

I have had this tea for at least a year and I have absolutely no idea where it came from. I have possibly had it for far longer and found it during a tea organizing spree and just added it to my cupboard a year ago. I am wondering if this came from beerandbeancurd or derk. I know I didn’t order it as I have never ordered from this company. Many thanks and my apologies to whoever sent it!

It was neglected because I intended to have some gong fu sessions with it and never made time, but I didn’t want it to get any older with this unknown provenance so we drank it western style throughout this weekend and finished it today.

It is very good. I really love how some oolongs smell utterly different from wet leaf to steep. This is very very lightly roasted, I think. It is smooth with medium to light body, only the barest hint of briskness – just enough to make me gulp it and immediately want more yet without being at all puckery.

The wet leaves have a high, intense scent of the kind you get from lemon peels or mint, yet without BEING lemon or mint, if that makes sense. I will call it a soprano, probably a soubrette. It is rather heady actually. Crisp.

The tea itself is lovely to drink, and I can’t stop reaching for it. The first steep was one minute as recommended on the bag but it was mild to the point of seeming like a wallflower with our food. Second steep, taken on its own, was given some extra time and now I have a little more light hint if well-done but not burnt toast and more briskness. The taste is lingering more after the sip. But is it floral? Hard to say, but I think I could find a similarity with chrysamthemum.

I am not well-versed in Dan Cong oolongs, I am sad to say, but this was a very enjoyable tea. I do feel inadequate to make a good note on it, though.