$14.00 – $44.00
One of the most balanced and classy daily drinker dancongs we’ve come across, there is testament here to Wen's devotion to craftsmanship in this 鸭屎香 ya shi xiang “duck shit fragrance” oolong. What’s with the name? It’s a fun story, one told by many, and after working in a teashop for a decade introducing people to teas, I’ll spare myself the explanation. Perhaps it’s the same instinct of self-preservation that prompted officials to finally rename this classic varietal 银花香 yin hua xiang “Honeysuckle Fragrance” a few years ago.
Rich caramelized tones of chestnut, fig, orchid aromatics lift off the first steep’s leaves; the concentrated liquid poured off — suspended by just enough catechin astringency, yet surprisingly round around the edges — perfectly keeps at bay the anticipated green bite that the aroma and amber hued soup hints at.
While this tea can be offered below .50 /gram — not easy in the world of better phoenix oolong — the quality source material Wen’s bushes planted in the late 70s above 600 meters provides are nothing to sneeze at. Coupled with his stubborn adherence to traditional craftsmanship (always charcoal, never electric roasting) and you get a premium dancong without the all-too-common prohibitive price tag. Packing a gaiwan and having a go at this stuff is pure fun.
This is a fun tea to brew. If you are looking for aroma, mouthfeel and aftertaste with good body (who isn’t?) it’s a real deal for the price. This tea is an expert roast and will have no problems satisfying those who like affordable quality. I experimented with steep times from flash to 1 minute. Stacked multiple roasts at the end and enjoyed the nuttiness of the brew.
All of the dancong oolongs I have tried (Milan, Ya Shi, and Ao Fu Hou) have been wonderful and consistent. Each one has the aroma and taste of an integrated charcoal roast and caramelized sugar. However, out of the three I tried, I felt the Milan (honey orchid) flavor accentuated and was accentuated by those base notes the best.
The floral component of this dancong was initially overcome by the base flavors and aromas as noted above. I left this dancong to sit for a few weeks or so, and the floral aroma and taste are now shining through. This bumped up my initial rating of a four (4) to a five (5).
I look forward to trying the other varietals once I have worked through my stash.