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“I consider this to be a connoisseur’s tea. This is an elegant dan cong full of nuance and texture that’s best appreciated by a seasoned palette. It has less of the juicy characteristics usually...” Read full tasting note
八仙 or Ba Xian references the eight Taoist immortals, a truly evocative name for a truly unique tea. Huang Ruiguang says that originally, there were eight trees growing next to each other, each with a different flavor and appearance, like the Taoist Immortals. Today, five of the eight original trees still remain. Huang Ruiguang’s tree has one of the most perfectly situated east-facing high elevation slopes on Wudongshan, earned for a lifetime of contribution to Fenghuang as an agricultural pioneer and master taster. His Ba Xian Dancong is lush and juicy, full of tropical flower and fruit flavors, coaxed out over 24 hours of intense hand processing.
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I consider this to be a connoisseur’s tea. This is an elegant dan cong full of nuance and texture that’s best appreciated by a seasoned palette. It has less of the juicy characteristics usually seen in dan cong and is more akin to a refined high mountain oolong.
It begins like a fairly typical dan cong with some honey and spice in the mouth. There’s a gentle floral hint in the finish. The roast is soft and doesn’t have that oily/mineral sensation of dark oolongs. To be sure, the minerality is there but it’s light and caresses your throat as it goes down. By the third steep what little roastiness there is clears up. The tea becomes sweeter and has a bright floral aftertaste reminiscent of magnolia and honeysuckle. There’s a linen like softness to the texture and a playful tickle in the back of the throat. Mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and supple like silk. As it progresses it becomes fruity with subtle hints of lychee and saffron.
I really enjoyed how this tea evolved over steeps. You don’t often see that in dan cong. It had an almost ethereal mouthfeel that was so soft and airy. Just a wonderful tea that you need to slow down and relax in order to savor its delicate flavor.
Flavors: Flowers, Fruity, Herbaceous, Honey, Honeysuckle, Jasmine, Lychee, Mineral, Orange Blossom, Pine, Saffron, Spices
I have a question. What do you feel is the best way to brew Dancong? I go back and forth on the issue myself, and having followed some Chao Zhou brewing outlines, I promptly discovered that following such methods resulted in brews of such intensity that my nose and throat were overpowered and numbed. I’d kind of like to know how others approach these teas so that I can experiment a little.
Dan congs can be tricky but I find flash steeps at or near boiling work best. In my experience, anything longer than 10 seconds tends to bring out bitterness.
I also use a lot less leaf than called for in most brewing guides. For this tea, Verdant recommended 10g of leaf per 6 oz of water which seems excessive. I find a ratio of 1g per oz works well. Their steep times though were spot on. Rinse, followed by a 6s initial steep, and add 4s per steep.
I have a Ba Xian from Yunnan Sourcing US that I plan on getting to within the coming weeks. I’ll have to give a preparation like that a try.