Two New Releases of Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong: Ba Xian King and Single Tree Tea

We are excited to introduce two highly exclusive Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong teas in our latest release. The featured teas for this launch are the Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong Ba Xian Wang 2022 and the Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong Yu Jin Xiang Single Tree 2022.

Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong Ba Xian Wang 2022 (鳳凰單叢老欉八仙王2022)

Ba Xian is undeniably one of the most sought-after teas in Chaozhou, the birthplace of Phoenix Dancong Oolong Tea. In recent years, its popularity has skyrocketed, and its rarity has driven prices in the market to new heights, making it increasingly challenging to acquire. Within Feng Huang Town, when tea producers craft an exceptionally high-quality Ba Xian, they take great pride in designating it as a distinctive product known as "Ba Xian Wang," which translates to "Ba Xian King." This name is a testament to their unwavering confidence in its superior quality, placing it at a level where it can confidently compete in prestigious tea competitions.

Why It Is Called Ba Xian

Approximately 100-Year-Old Tea Trees

According to a story passed down in Fenghuang Town (鳳凰鎮) around 80 years ago, a local farmer made a serendipitous discovery in a place called "Qu-zai-liao" (去仔寮) where he encountered tea trees with a unique and captivating flavor. Impressed by the aroma of this tea, he embarked on a mission to propagate it extensively. He took cuttings from the tree and planted numerous saplings on the mountains of Ya-hou Village (垭后村). Surprisingly, despite his dedicated efforts, the survival rate of these tea trees turned out to be unusually low, with only eight of the saplings managing to endure. It was from this very fact that this tea variety acquired the name "Ba Xian" (八仙), which translates to "The Eight Immortals" in English. The number eight also carries significant cultural symbolism in Chinese culture, often associated with good luck and fortune. Regrettably, the original mother tree of Ba Xian has long withered and ceased to exist. Out of the original eight tea trees, it is believed that only two to three remain to this day. In recent years, with advancements in grafting techniques, tea farmers have endeavoured to graft Ba Xian onto older tea trees. However, even with grafting, the survival rate of this variety remains remarkably low, especially when grafted onto older tea trees, where success is a rare occurrence. As a consequence, Ba Xian tea trees with a history of over 100 years are exceedingly scarce. Furthermore, Ba Xian tea trees tend to grow in a long and slender form with sparse leaves, as opposed to other tea trees that develop a denser, fan-like appearance. Cultivating Ba Xian as single-tree tea is regarded as a challenging endeavour due to the need for a sufficient quantity of fresh tea leaves to carry out the entire fermentation process of Dan Cong tea. This product is harvested from tea trees that are approximately 100 years old and thrive at an altitude of 1200 meters in Wu-dong Gui-zhu Lake Village (乌岽桂竹湖村). The Ba Xian saplings were grafted onto naturally grown old tea trees more than 8 years ago, achieving a level of quality and cup characteristics similar to the rootstock. Its lingering aftertaste is remarkably long and enchanting, imparting the impression of a tea crafted from trees several hundred years old. The exceptional quality of this tea is evidently a result of a harmonious combination of various factors, encompassing the innate characteristics of Ba Xian tea trees, the elevation, soil conditions, the weather during tea production, and the expertise of the tea master. Ba Xian is renowned for its Zhi Lan Xiang fragrance, known for imparting a rich aroma with distinct top notes resembling mango, lily, honeysuckle, and ginger flower. This is complemented by a strong aftertaste and a creamy sensation.

Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong Yu Jin Xiang Single Tree 2022 (鳳凰單叢老欉郁金香 單株2022)

Lao Cong Yu Jin Xiang Single Tree

The Phoenix Dancong Lao Cong Yu Jin Xian Single Tree 2022 is an exceptionally rare tea crafted solely from a 250-year-old mother tree located at an altitude of 1200m in Wu-dong Gui-zhu Lake Village (乌岽桂竹湖村). This tea stands out due to the official registration of its mother tree in Guangdong Province, bearing the unique identifier 19KJCX040-10. The exclusivity of this tea product lies in the fact that it is exclusively crafted from the leaves of this singular registered mother tree, making it a truly exceptional and limited. What's particularly significant is that this tea is now being introduced to countries outside of China for the very first time. This introduction offers tea enthusiasts worldwide the opportunity to savor the distinct characteristics of this tea, a rare and novel experience that was previously limited to its place of origin. "Yu Jin Xiang" means the tulip flower in Chinese. Upon the first sip, this tea leaves an very delicate and velvety impression with a creamy and soft texture. Its remarkable full-bodied flavor and enticing aroma are further complemented by a profoundly deep aftertaste and an enduring finish. These qualities can be attributed to the tea's cultivation at high altitudes, the age of the tea trees, and its organic growth without the use of fertilizers. The fragrance is sweet and evokes gentle scents, reminiscent of tulip flowers, bananas, apricots, and wild strawberries.

For more on where Phoenix Dan Cong comes from, what Dan Cong and Lao Cong mean, and how it is made and brewed, see What Is Phoenix Dan Cong?.