Our tea buying trip to Fujian ( and Guangdong Province ) was our best tea trek ever! We visited during the height of the spring tea season and had the opportunity to observe the manufacture of these famous teas. In northern Fujian we visited the ethereal and mysterious Wu Yi Shan mountains and observed the production of the legendary and distinctive dark strip-style Wu Yi Shan rock oolong or yan cha teas.

In southern Fujian we visited the Anxi area which is famous for the fragrant and flavorful semiball-rolled-style of oolong tea, such as Tieguanyin . ( see scented tea for our authentic Fujian Lapsang Souchong black tea - Zhen Shan Xiao Chung. )

Our trip netted us some solid contacts for securing these spectacular teas which we are proud to offer. All of these oolongs are prime examples of their terroir -  it is a rare opportunity for tea enthusiasts to find so many of these important teas in one location! Don't miss out on the bold, minerally  flavors of these connoisseur-quality specialties, they are all limited-production teas and some of China's best.

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Fenghuang Dan Cong (Phoenix Mountain single-trunk or single fragrance tea) tea is produced in the north-east region of northern Guangdong Province ( nearby the city of Chazhou)  and far north of the place in southern Fujian Province where the famous semiball-rolled style oolong teas ( such as Tieguanyin ) are made.

Whereas the most famous of the WuYi Shan rock oolong teas ( yan cha ) are plucked from old, single-trunk tea bushes, Fenghuang Dan Cong teas are plucked from old, arbor-style tea trees, many of which are over 100 years old and have grown to be over twenty feet tall.

The oldest tea bushes are living treasures. Many of them are hundreds of years old and have grown into stately trees that feature a bush-like habit.  These trees yield fresh leaf of an extraordinary  size, and the resulting teas are extremely flavorful and seductively aromatic. These tea trees and the tea that is produced from their leaves are named after 'fragrances' that the aroma of the tea is reminiscent of.

The best Fenghuang Dan Cong oolongs exhibit a palate-teasing abundance of mineral, floral, and ripe-stone fruit flavors in the cup. These teas are charcoal-fired, and, like a fine burgundy wine, require patience and diligent steeping to coax the best flavor from the leaf. Fenghuang Dan Congs are  dark, medium to heavy roast strip-style oolongs. They are easily recognized by their extraordinary flavor and distinctive leaf style.
 

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Taiwan oolong teas are renowned for their lovely, fruity and floral aromas that are reminiscent of honey, peaches, orchids and apricots. Generally, Taiwan oolongs feature a light style and a more elegant finish that their Fujian cousins. Taiwan oolongs range from large, leafy, strip-style oolongs that have been given a light oxidation (about 15-25%), such as Bai Hao Oriental Beauty ( sometimes also called Formosa Fancy Silvertips ) and Baozhong, to the semiball-rolled, Jade oolongs such as Tung Ting, and gao shan High Mountain oolongs ( tea grown at over 6,000 ft ) from Ali Shan, Shan LiXi and Li Shan. Modern style versions of these teas undergo  45-55% oxidation, and minimal to no roasting. Traditional styles are higher in oxidation and can be given a light, medium or full roasting. In general Jade oolongs and High Mountain oolongs are mid-range green to vibrant green in color.

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