Phoenix Mountain Oolong, also known as Dan Cong, caught my interest this afternoon at Peet’s Coffee and Tea so I decided to try it. The name originates from Phoenix Mountain the Guangdong Province of China where it is grown.
Review: Phoenix Mountain Oolong
Phoenix Mountain Oolong is a lovely high-quality tea which exhibits the rich, complex flavors and sweet finish characteristic of oolong teas. This tea offers a rich, robust flavor and fruity finish which makes it a satisfying tea to drink on its own or accompanying a meal. Here is how Peet’s describes from their website.
Phoenix (Fenghuang) Mountain is located near the coast in China’s Guangdong province. For several hundred years, small farmers have grown a unique strain of the tea bush here, notable for its thick central trunk. The freshly picked leaves are hand-processed in small batches by skilled workers, who labor through the night alternately rolling the leaves, then allowing them to rest. Afterward, the leaves are baked four to five separate times over coals until completely dried. The long, jet-black leaves turn olive green after steeping, and yield a strong, natural flavor with hints of apricot, plum and roasted grains.
Tasting Notes
Brewing Instructions
Brew with freshly boiled water for 2 or 3 minutes. Best served straight up without milk or sugar.
Appearance
The dry leaves are long and dark brown to black, and slightly twisted. After brewing, the leaves unfurl into dark olive leaves which are thick, robust and weighty. The brewed tea is a lustrous and clear yellow orange color.
Taste
This oolong tea packs a punch with rich, complex flavors and a light touch of sweetness toward the end. The brewed tea has a floral fragrance and mellow smoky chestnut taste balanced by fruity peach overtones. The flavors are well-balanced and almost earthy, lingering on the palate before fading away into a sweet, fruity aftertaste.
Characteristic of a high quality tea, it does quite well with multiple steepings.
Origin
The origin of this tea is at the Phoenix Mountain in the Guangdong Province. I’ve included a map below.
Pricing & Where to Buy
This tea is priced at $12.95 per 2 oz. pkg. which brews approximately 20 cups. If you want to sample it in the store, I paid $3.10 to buy a single cup. If you’d like to try this tea for yourself, you can head over to any Peet’s Coffee & Tea location (store locator) to try it or buy it directly online here.
