Phoenix Dan Cong - Ye Lai Xiang (2021)

"Ye Lai Xiang 夜来香" literally mean night blooming jasmine aroma, is an aromatic Dan Cong Oolong tea, the varietal is named after "Ye Lai Xiang" flower (Telosma cordata) due to its strong fragrance.  "Ye Lai Xiang" is considered a rare tea varietal because it is not widely cultivated.  The finishing of this tea is gently roasted with lower heat to coax out the night blooming jasmine aroma that it carries.  Brewing this tea in a dry and warm day will yield more intoxicating fragrance than wet days. 

ORIGIN

Elevation: 1100 meter, Wudong Mountain, Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, China

HARVEST TIME AND PROCESSING 

Handed picked in April 2021. Leaves were then carefully sun-withered, partially oxidised and then dried leaving aside for sorting. Stems were removed, only the dark twisted leaves were used for the final product and these leaves were carefully roasted over charcoal.  

TASTING NOTES

As soon as the hot water touch the tea leaves, you many sense its up-coming intoxicating fragrance like night-blooming jasmine. When you sip this tea, it gives a very subtle fruity flavour, perfect balance of sweet, floral and umami with a long lasting mouth-feeling. After few brews, the texture of water becomes very soft but still with strong after taste.  Although teas has caffeine content which would keep us awake, but the high-end tea will rather make us feel very relaxed or sleepy. 

BREW

Normal brewing preparing for a light cup of tea:

Filter tap water (or soft water) | 100°C | Leaf to water ratio: 2g per 100ml | Brewing for 2-3 minute. 

Gong Fu Cha Brewing for making much thicker and richer taste: 

Few tips about brewing:

If you want to enjoy a nice cup of Dan Cong Oolong, it is important to keep the brewing temperature as high as you can. It is essential to warm up your teapot with boiling water so that the teapot will not reduce the temperature of hot water while brewing. At first, pour boiling water into teapot, place the lid and leave it for about 10 seconds. Only after draining off this water, you can start brewing tea.

For people who is not used to drink Phoenix Dan Cong, try 1g to 100 ml at 90°C for 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the ratio, but increase the steeping duration for bigger vessels. Also very slightly raise the temperature. Always preheat the infusion ware. Always separate the leaves from the liquor after each round.