Dan cong, or “single origin” teas, are harvested from orchards nearly a century old, with carefully cultivated trees that display a particular quality of aromatics and flavor, honed over decades. When a tree’s specific characters and expressions are identified by the tea maker, these tea trees are cloned through grafting, attaching the aromatic branches to existing tree trunks. This process ensures the finished tea has the depth and mineral rich qualities of a deeply rooted tea plant, while honing in on the most precise flavor profiles possible. Among these ancient groves of Phoenix Mountain oolongs of Wudong Shan, over 100 aromatic profiles exist today.

Honey Orchid dan cong is a particularly fine example of this tea style, due to both the trees’ age, and the elevation of the 1100m source garden. The older root structures of these trees allow the plant to absorb a more complex set of nutrients, while higher elevation climate slows the rate of leaf development. Both factors contribute to this tea’s smooth texture and mouthfeel, sweetness, and complexity.

Once picked, these leaves are first withered outdoors, then gently oxidized for ten hours to develop it’s distinct fruit and honey notes. The finished tea is given three rounds of post-production charcoal roasting to deepen and intensify its flavor. Over the coming months, you’ll notice a change in the liqueur of these brewed leaves, as the recent charcoal roast recedes, giving way to a a distinct aroma akin to apricot kernels, and the sweetness of an effervescent reisling.