Phoenix Dang Cong Oolong
Introduction to Phoenix Dang Cong (Phoenix DC)
Phoenix Dang Cong (Phoenix DC) is an oolong tea produced in Fenghuang Town (village) in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province. Along with Anxi Oolong and Wuyi Oolong, Phoenix DC is one of China's three major oolong teas.
We focus particularly on Phoenix DC, visiting the production area annually to evaluate the tea and produce special-order products.
We emphasize Phoenix DC because its quality stands out among the many Chinese oolong teas, and it offers excellent cost performance compared to Wuyi Oolong tea.
When evaluating tea quality, we usually separate the evaluation of the quality of the raw materials and the quality of the processing, but Phoenix DC excels in both aspects.
Due to influences such as television programs, the image of high-grade Chinese oolong tea is often associated with Wuyi Oolong tea (Wuyi Yancha) grown between the rocks in the Wuyi Mountain National Park. However, in terms of altitude, tree age, and the fact that many tea gardens practice no-fertilizer cultivation, the quality of the raw materials for Phoenix DC surpasses other oolong teas.
Phoenix DC has many excellent qualities, so why is it not well-known to the public?
In the case of Phoenix DC, it is often consumed among locals in Chaozhou or those originally from Chaozhou, so it is not very well-known to the general public.
Additionally, the people in the production area of Chaozhou have a craftsman-like spirit and a cultural background that does not overly promote their tea.
However, Phoenix DC is extremely popular among tea enthusiasts and experts, making it very difficult to obtain high-quality products.
Tea Gardens with 900 Years of History on Wudong Mountain
The most famous production area for Phoenix Oolong tea is a mountain called Wudong Mountain. The oldest trees on Wudong Mountain are about 900 years old.
The photo shows a nearly 500-year-old Shuixian tree. The person in the photo is me (Kitashiro).
Rocky Tea Gardens
The tea gardens of Phoenix DC are rocky, with various sizes of rocks scattered around, and the tea trees grow in narrow terraced areas built with stone walls.
The tea trees are planted among the rocks. This harsh growing environment helps develop long roots, which in turn produce high-quality tea.
High Altitude
Phoenix Oolong tea is often referred to in two ways: as a collection of mountains or as a village called Fenghuang Town.
The highest tea gardens on Wudong Mountain are located at about 1200-1300 meters above sea level. The tea gardens at high altitudes are located around the village of Wudong and are traded at very high prices.
When it comes to Phoenix DC, the age of the tea trees tends to attract attention, but altitude is just as important. Tea gardens at 500 meters and those at 1000 meters have completely different flavor and aroma qualities.
Wudong Mountain (Phoenix Mountain) viewed from Fenghuang Town: We mainly select tea from Wudong Mountain.
Natural Cultivation by Complete Neglect
In the production area of Phoenix Mountain, the tea trees are not neatly planted like in ordinary tea gardens but grow randomly like wild trees.
Moreover, unlike Japanese tea, there is no pruning at all. As a result, the trees grow into huge trees, some as tall as a two-story house.
A tea tree that is several hundred years old
In Japanese and Taiwanese tea gardens, tea branches are cut during the off-season to even out the bushes. However, cutting the branches or trunks causes new branches to grow from those points.
The young branches grow quickly, absorbing minerals and organic matter from the tree and producing many tea leaves.
As a result, the harvest increases, but the share of minerals per leaf decreases.
Consequently, the amount of minerals in the tea leaves is diluted, resulting in tea with a thinner flavor.
Tea trees that are not pruned have fewer leaves despite their size, and they often look "poor" compared to young tea trees.
A tea producer pointed to a tree and told me, "This tree is 600 years old, and only the family who owns the tea garden drinks it."
When I asked if I could pluck a leaf, they allowed me to, so I immediately plucked a leaf and chewed it.
Even without processing, you can immediately feel the quality of the leaves from old trees by chewing them. The aroma flows smoothly into the back of the throat, and a sweet aroma circulates in the mouth for a while.
Ordinary tea leaves from the tea garden have aroma characteristics unique to their cultivar but lack depth.
In the production areas of Phoenix DC, including Wudong Mountain, many tea gardens do not use pesticides or fertilizers, and tea plucking is only done once a year. Repeated plucking of tea leaves, like pruning, causes young leaves to grow one after another, resulting in diluted minerals and lower quality.
The commitment to and thoroughness in quality produces the deep throat feel and the lasting aroma of Phoenix Oolong tea.
Since the trees are not pruned, the branches grow freely in any direction, making them look like plants growing naturally in the mountains.
Wudong Mountain is surrounded by rocks, and tea trees are planted among them.
In Phoenix Mountain, the tea trees are managed in a state close to "neglect." However, it is not just the tea trees that are "neglected" in the famous tea production areas like Wudong Mountain.
The "weeds" growing around the tea trees are also left alone. Various shrubs and weeds grow naturally in the tea gardens.
Of course, removing these would make the tea garden look more beautiful, but leaving the weeds is important for producing high-quality tea.
Naturally growing trees are all grown from seeds, so they have a high ability to absorb minerals, and their leaves contain high concentrations of minerals.
When these leaves fall and decompose, the minerals they contained are absorbed by the tea trees.
In other words, the natural vegetation around them plays a role in providing minerals to the tea trees. In China, the technique of allowing natural plants to grow in tea gardens has been used for a long time.
Additionally, some weeds have symbiotic microorganisms that can fix nitrogen from the air (able to take in nitrogen from the air into their cells), and these plants can take in nitrogen without the need for nitrogen fertilizers.
The nitrogen absorbed by these surrounding weeds eventually makes its way to the tea trees.
The Key to High Quality is Dancong
When it comes to Phoenix Oolong, the term "Dancong" always comes up. It is generally called Phoenix Dancong or Phoenix XX Dancong.
The term "Dancong" in Phoenix DC originally meant a single tree. However, it is no longer used in that sense. In other regions, it is common for tea to be sold by the tea garden or by the day of production. However, in the case of Phoenix DC, tea is classified in various small lots based on the age of the tea trees, the characteristics of the aroma, the quality of the aroma, and other factors. These small lots are referred to as "Dancong." Tea made from a single tree is called "Single Tree" or "Danzhu." There is also tea labeled "Lao Cong Dancong," which refers to tea made from particularly old trees.
Why We Must Source Directly from Local Producers
For Dancong made from old trees, the throat feel is very strong, the aroma is deep, and the aftertaste lasts for more than 30 minutes. There are two reasons why you need to go to the local area to get good tea.
- For high-quality Dancong, the tea is made only from the leaves of a limited group of tea trees, especially old trees (Lao Cong). Each batch is only a few kilograms to about 20 kg. The price is very high, and the quantity is limited, so samples are rarely sent overseas. While samples are being sent overseas, specific batches are quickly sold out.
- The quality of Phoenix DC varies greatly, and producers do not want to introduce expensive tea to someone who does not understand its taste. They consider tea from tea gardens, which is cheaper and has a strong aroma, to be more suitable for business. When I visited Phoenix Town, even though I expressed my desire for good quality, the producers did not trust my words much. We did a full day of tasting, and the buyer's tasting ability is always tested. What kind of comments you make about the different qualities and varieties of tea presented one after another is important. Only when the producer determines that you are serious and capable of distinguishing high-quality tea will they introduce you to their father living in the Phoenix Mountain area.
As mentioned above, to truly obtain "Phoenix Dancong," it is essential to go to the local area, taste it on the spot, and make a decision there.
Phoenix Mountain has many old tea trees, each with its own unique aroma, grouped and classified. Tea harvested from specific old trees is sold as different Dancong.
The older the tea trees, the slower the leaf growth. Since the roots can monopolize the absorbed minerals, the tea has a very rich and aromatic flavor.
Processing
The production of Phoenix Oolong involves the following processing steps.
- Withering
- Cooling
- Fermentation
- Pan Frying
- Rolling
- Drying
Here is an explanation of each step.
Withering
After plucking, the tea leaves are brought to the factory and spread out on bamboo sieves. The tea leaves are then taken outside with the bamboo sieves for sun withering from 4 to 5 pm.
During this time, care must be taken to ensure that the leaves do not overlap. Withering is carried out when the outside temperature is below 35°C, and the withering time is adjusted according to the temperature.
Cooling
After sun withering, the tea leaves are cooled indoors in the shade for 1-2 hours. The leaves are piled up to different thicknesses depending on the ambient temperature.
On low-humidity days, the leaves are piled thicker to prevent moisture evaporation. Indoor withering breaks down the components in the leaves, increasing their sweetness. It also contributes to the formation of aroma components.
Fermentation
This process is also called Zuoqing (Peng-qing) or Langcha (Lang-cha), and it is the most important step in making Phoenix Oolong tea.
5-6 kg of tea leaves are placed on bamboo sieves. Two workers stand facing each other and shake the bamboo sieves up and down 15 times, causing the leaves to ripple.
The leaves are then collected and piled into a concave shape and left to rest for 2 hours. In the second Zuoqing, the leaves are shaken up and down 30 times, and in the third, 45 times. After each Zuoqing, the leaves are left to rest for 2 hours.
The 4th to 7th Zuoqing operations are carried out with bamboo drums. Again, the leaves are left to rest for about 2 hours between each operation.
These operations bruise the edges of the leaves, so fermentation starts from those parts.
Unlike black tea, Phoenix Oolong tea is semi-fermented, as the leaves are gradually fermented from the edges, so the components are not overly fermented, resulting in tea that is less astringent, sweet, and has a floral aroma.
The degree of fermentation is adjusted according to the quality and intensity of the aroma produced by the tea leaves. Usually, during the 1st and 2nd Zuoqing, the leaves emit a green grassy aroma. By the 3rd and 4th, a sweet aroma is mixed with the green aroma.
When the leaves produce a fruity aroma by the 5th and 6th Zuoqing, the Zuoqing operation is complete.
Pan Frying and Rolling
The tea leaves are pan-fried at high temperatures to inactivate the enzymes all at once. Inactivating the enzymes quickly reduces quality degradation.
Rolling is done while the leaves are still hot. Rolling and heating are alternated to prevent the leaves from breaking.
Rolling is done by hand, shaping the leaves while rolling. As the water content decreases due to pan frying, the leaves gradually become sticky.
This allows the leaves to be lifted by hand and shaped while rolling.
Through this process, the leaves lose 20-30% of their moisture, and the moisture that oozes out during rolling adheres to the surface of the leaves, giving them gloss and increasing their strength.
Drying
The tea leaves are dried in bamboo baskets called Honglong. Completely burned charcoal is used for drying. Completely burned charcoal can dry the leaves without imparting any smoky flavor.