What Is Phoenix Dan Cong? Dan Cong, Lao Cong, Origin, Processing, and Brewing

Exceptionally High Quality Among China's Three Major Oolong Teas

Phoenix Dan Cong (Fenghuang Dan Cong) is an Oolong tea from the Fenghuang Mountain area of Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, China. It is known for floral and fruity aromas such as Mi Lan Xiang (honey orchid) and Huang Zhi Xiang (gardenia), and for the long aftertaste of tea from old trees called Lao Cong.

Ask tea lovers to name their favourite tea, and many of them will say Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong. Its rich aftertaste and its vivid, diverse aromas make it a tea you remember long after the first cup. Yet despite this appeal, surprisingly few people have actually tried it.

A complex, highly skilled processing method and unique cultivars give this tea its bright floral and fruity aroma. What truly makes it one of a kind, however, is the old tea trees growing in high-mountain gardens. Tea made from these aged trees, called Lao Cong, offers not only aroma but also a soft, dense aftertaste that seems to spread through the whole body.

If you love tea, Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong is one you should try at least once.

Introduction to Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

When it comes to Chinese Oolong tea, the famous teas from Fujian Province's Wuyi Mountain and Anxi come to mind. Wuyi Mountain's rock tea is a symbol of high-quality tea in China, and its name alone carries an image of something exceptional. However, there is also a very famous Oolong tea called Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province. Chaozhou has a long history of tea and is one of China's major Oolong tea production areas.

There is even a theory that Chaozhou is the birthplace of Oolong tea and that its processing method later spread to Wuyi Mountain. This is only one hypothesis, however; historical records differ, and no conclusion has been reached.

The Origin of Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is produced in Fenghuang Town (village), Chaozhou, Guangdong Province.

Within Fenghuang Town, Wudong Mountain is especially popular because of its high elevation and its many old trees. This mountain is higher than the surrounding mountains, with some tea gardens located at elevations of around 1,200-1,300 meters. At HOJO, we primarily select tea from Wudong Mountain in search of high-quality Dan Cong.

However, the mountains around Wudong form a continuous range, and the growing conditions there are similar. It is also true that excellent tea can be found on neighbouring mountains, as long as the tree age, the elevation, and fertilizer-free cultivation meet the standard.

Tea with Sweet Fruity and Floral Aromas

Unlike the heavily roasted Wuyi Oolong tea, Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea has a clear, very sweet, fruity, and floral aroma. First-time drinkers might even mistake it for flavored tea. Why does Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea captivate so many people? Besides the superior tea processing techniques, the high quality of the raw tea leaves is also notable. The best Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is produced from tea gardens at elevations above 1,000 meters, using pesticide-free and fertilizer-free cultivation of trees that are hundreds of years old. This results in tea with a wonderful floral and fruity aroma, a long-lasting aftertaste, and a rich flavor that permeates the body.

Since 2010, we have visited Fenghuang Town in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, every year to source high-quality Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea directly. Although this tea is not well-known in Japan, it is no exaggeration to say that it embodies the pinnacle of tea processing technology and is one of the most elegant teas in China.

The Meaning of Dan Cong

The term "Dan Cong" always appears with Phoenix Oolong tea, as in the names Phoenix Dan Cong or Phoenix ○○ Dan Cong. Phoenix Dan Cong is an Oolong tea produced around Fenghuang Mountain, centred on Fenghuang Town in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, and Wudong Mountain in particular is known for its famous teas. High-quality Phoenix Dan Cong is not harvested from low-pruned bushes like those in Japanese or Taiwanese tea gardens, but from trees and small trees that grow independently, like fruit trees.

Originally, "Dan Cong" came from the practice of selecting individual tea trees of outstanding quality, then plucking, processing, and selling the tea from each of those trees alone; the name referred to the fine tea made in this way. From the 1990s onward, however, trees with excellent aromas were widely propagated by grafting and cuttings, and it became common to process leaves from trees of the same lineage together.

Today, Phoenix Oolong is classified from many angles, such as aroma and cultivar, and divided into numerous small batches. Producers know the characteristics of each of their trees well, group the trees by aroma and cultivar, and process and sell the tea in small batches. Each batch is given a name for its aroma type, such as Mi Lan Xiang (honey orchid) or Huang Zhi Xiang (gardenia), or a name for its cultivar, such as Ba Xian or Da Wu Ye. High-quality tea that clearly shows the aroma of its aroma type or cultivar is called "Dan Cong," while tea whose aroma is not fully developed is called "Shui Xian." In other words, "Dan Cong" today does not mean a single tree; it means a high-quality tea named after its aroma type or cultivar.

What Is Lao Cong?

Among Dan Cong teas, tea harvested from especially old trees is called "Lao Cong." However, the definition of Lao Cong varies from person to person. Generally, tea from trees around 50 years old or older is called Lao Cong. Single tree tea from an old tree is labeled "Lao Cong Dan Zhu."

Lao Cong ranges widely in quality, and at HOJO, some Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea comes from trees that are several hundred years old. If other conditions such as elevation and cultivar are the same, the older the tree, the higher the quality. Quality here mainly means the length of the aftertaste. Lao Cong tea has a deeper richness (aftertaste) than tea from young trees and feels very soft in the mouth. However, even an old tree with a long aftertaste does not gain value as a product without a bright aroma. The altitude is also an important quality factor for Phoenix Dan Cong, and low-elevation Lao Cong tea is inferior in aroma to tea from high-elevation gardens.

In the growing region, the basic quality of Phoenix Dan Cong is judged by the length of the aftertaste and the richness of the finish. In addition, how well the aroma comes out through processing and finishing determines the overall value of the tea.

Single Tree Tea (Dan Zhu Cha)

The most expensive and rarest type of Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is generally the single tree tea (Dan Zhu Cha). As the name suggests, it is harvested from a single tree. However, which tree to select is up to the producer. To put it in extreme terms, if a producer selects one ordinary tree found anywhere and makes tea from it alone, it is still undeniably a single tree tea, because it meets the condition of being made from one tree. In other words, the name "single tree tea" only tells you that the tea came from one tree; it does not guarantee good quality.

Therefore, building a relationship with an honest producer and having the ability to assess quality are crucial to obtaining good single tree tea. Since most single tree teas are made from old trees, they are typically labeled as Phoenix Dan Cong Lao Cong ○○ Single Tree.

Characteristics of High-Quality Phoenix Dan Cong

High-quality Phoenix Dan Cong is cultivated by letting the tea trees grow large in their natural shape, without pruning. Because the growing tips are not cut back, the branches spread out and the trees grow like trees in a mountain forest (see the photos below).

In typical tea gardens in Japan, Taiwan, India, and Sri Lanka, by contrast, tea bushes are pruned low into a compact shape that is easy to manage. These gardens are densely planted, which makes harvesting efficient, increases yields, and brings economic advantages. Tea trees grown unpruned in a natural environment take more effort to harvest, but they have superior flavor and quality. In Fenghuang Town, where Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is produced, the trees at high elevations are left unpruned, while the surrounding lowland areas use the conventional garden style, and many gardens there are harvested by machine.

Elevation: A Crucial Factor in Quality

With Phoenix Dan Cong and Pu-erh tea, tree age tends to attract the most attention, but elevation is also a very important quality factor. This is true not only for Phoenix Dan Cong and Pu-erh but for many teas. For Phoenix Dan Cong, 600 meters is usually the threshold for quality. Below that elevation, many gardens are mass-production gardens or consist of young trees, and their tea is generally traded at low prices. Tea gardens above 1,000 meters in particular have large temperature differences between day and night, and they are a treasure trove of rich, aromatic teas.

Misconceptions About Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea Being Bitter, Astringent, or Hard on the Stomach

We are surprised by how many customers tell us they dislike Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea because it is too bitter or astringent. However, spring-harvested Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea has no bitterness or astringency.

The reason for this misconception is that a lot of astringent Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is actually on the market. Most of it is grown in lowland gardens with plenty of fertilizer. High-elevation gardens usually harvest only in spring, but lowland gardens harvest in spring, summer, and autumn for commercial production; even when we visit in summer, the leaves are being actively plucked. Not only with Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong but with tea in general, the later the harvest, the more astringency and bitterness appear.

From late spring through autumn, the tea grows faster and yields are higher, so late-season tea is traded at low prices. Much of the tea exported overseas is of this quality, and unless it is brewed at a low temperature it tastes astringent or bitter. This is what leads to the misconception that Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is bitter and astringent.

High-quality Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea, on the other hand, is made without fertilizers. Fertilizer-free cultivation allows the tea to grow slowly, enhancing its flavor and aroma.

Thus, spring-harvested Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea grown without fertilizer in high-elevation gardens is neither astringent nor bitter, even when brewed with boiling water. It is very mellow, sweet, soft, and gentle.

Why Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea Is Not Well-Known

Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is one of China's three major Oolong teas, along with Wuyi Oolong tea and Anxi Oolong tea. However, its global recognition is not as high. This is because many people from Fujian Province live in Southeast Asia, where they predominantly promote tea from their home province.

In Bangkok, Thailand, where many Chaozhou natives reside, Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is more commonly found in the Chinese market.

The Misconception That Phoenix Dan Cong Is Difficult to Brew

We often hear that Phoenix Dan Cong is difficult to brew and hard to get right. This is a big misconception. When the aroma does not come out well, or when the tea turns astringent or bitter, there are two reasons.

The first is your equipment and water. To be honest, brewing technique matters very little in bringing out the aroma of Phoenix Dan Cong. What really matters is the material of the kettle, the material of the teapot, pitcher (cha hai), and cups, and the quality of the water. If these are not right, no one can bring out the aroma, however they brew it. If you cannot get a good aroma, stop using a cast iron kettle or a clay teapot. Use water boiled in a stainless steel kettle, and try a porcelain or glass teapot, pitcher, and cups. Instead of tap water, also try a mineral water such as Kouka no Morimizu or Oku-Yamato no Meisui, which we recommend (Oku-Yamato gives a good aroma but feels slightly rough on the tongue).

The second is the quality of the tea leaves themselves. Tea made in lowland gardens, especially tea plucked in summer or autumn, is strongly astringent and bitter. Just as summer mountain vegetables are more bitter than spring ones, later-harvest tea is more astringent than spring tea. In this case, the problem is the leaves, not the water. As a workaround, brew at a lower temperature, since a high temperature makes the astringency stronger.

The Production Process of Maocha (Crude Tea) for Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

Withering

After harvesting, the tea leaves are transported to the factory and spread on bamboo trays. They are then moved outside on the trays for sun withering until around 4 to 5 PM. Care must be taken to ensure the leaves do not overlap. Withering is done when the temperature is below 35°C, and the duration is adjusted according to the temperature.

Cooling

After sun withering, the leaves are cooled indoors in the shade for 1-2 hours. The thickness of the leaf piles is adjusted based on the ambient temperature. On dry days, the piles are thicker to prevent moisture loss. Indoor withering helps break down components within the leaves, increasing sweetness and forming aromatic compounds.

Fermentation

This process, also known as "peng-qing" or "lang-cha," is crucial for making Phoenix Oolong tea. About 5-6 kg of leaves are placed on a bamboo tray. Two workers stand opposite each other and shake the tray up and down 15 times, causing the leaves to wave.

The leaves are then collected, piled into a concave shape, and left to rest for 2 hours. In the second round of "peng-qing," the leaves are shaken 30 times, and in the third round, 45 times. Each "peng-qing" is followed by 2 hours of resting. From the fourth to the seventh round, the process is done with bamboo drums, again with about 2 hours of resting in between. This creates minor bruising along the edges of the leaves, where fermentation begins. Unlike black tea, the leaves are fermented gradually from the edges, so the components are not over-fermented (partial fermentation), resulting in a tea with less astringency and a sweet, floral aroma.

The degree of fermentation is adjusted based on the quality and intensity of the aroma from the leaves. Typically, during the first 1-2 rounds of "peng-qing," the leaves emit a grassy aroma. By the 3-4 rounds, a sweet aroma mixes with the green one. When the leaves start to smell fruity, usually by the 5-6 rounds, the "peng-qing" process is complete.

Pan-Frying and Rolling

The leaves are pan-fried in a hot wok to deactivate the enzymes all at once. Deactivating the enzymes quickly minimizes quality degradation. While the leaves are still hot, they are rolled. Alternating between rolling and heating prevents the leaves from breaking.

The rolling is done by hand, shaping the leaves while rolling them. As the leaves lose moisture through pan-frying, they gradually become sticky, which makes it possible to lift them by hand and shape them while rolling. Through this process the leaves lose 20-30% of their moisture, and the moisture that exudes during rolling coats the leaf surface, adding luster and strength.

Charcoal Roasting to Enhance Sweet, Baked Aromas

The most notable characteristic of Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea is its sweet, fruity, and floral aroma. Many believe this aroma comes from fermentation alone, but that is not the whole story.

Immediately after fermentation and drying, Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea has a very green aroma, similar to fresh green-style Tie Guan Yin; some people even describe it as celery-like. Tea at this stage is called Maocha.

Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong tea then undergoes a charcoal roasting process, in which the Maocha is roasted over charcoal. This process is essential for creating the characteristic aroma of Phoenix Dan Cong.

Charcoal roasting may bring to mind a toasty aroma, but that is not the case here. When skilled artisans roast high-quality Phoenix Dan Cong, they roast it at around 100°C, adding no burnt or smoky notes at all, enhancing the clarity of the flavor and aroma and boosting the floral and fruity notes. It is similar to slowly baking a cheesecake in the oven at a low temperature to bring out its sweet aroma. It is no exaggeration to call Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong a dessert of a tea, so sweet is its aroma.