Review: Tong Tian Xiang 360-year-old-tree Phoenix Oolong

Details

Name: Tong Tian Xiang 360 year old tree Phoenix Dan Cong

Type: Oolong

Origin: Phoenix Mountain, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, China

Seller: Seigasabou

5.01g steeped in a gaiwan for 15 seconds at 208°F(98℃)

Tasting Notes

Top: Lemon cream, ginger ale, dried longan

Middle: Daffodil, Indian sandalwood

Last: Ginger jam, dried lemon peel, custard cream puff

Tea Leaves

While dry the leaves are about 3-6cm, and the entire tightly twisted leaves are shaped in spirals like springs. Black tinged with red, with whitish edges that dully glitter. There is a spicy and fruity aroma, on top of a base of a woody, sweetly dry note, reminiscent of aromatic wood. It has a smell like spiced citrus jam, or dry longan berries.

After being steeped 3 times, the leaves are about 4-7cm and are restored to their original state while remaining twisted. Deep blue-greens and reddish browns are mixed together. Their aroma gives a drier impression than that of tea leaves, like dry longan berries and incense.

Impressions

The tea liquor is a clear orange, and I sense complex notes. Refreshing citrus reminiscent of lemon cream, a butterfat-like sweetness, and ginger ale’s invigorating combination of spices. Also a slightly bitter tropical fruit note, again like dried longan berries. Taking a drink, I can taste a daffodil-like floral aroma, and a woody, dry aroma like sandalwood. They remind me more of a rock tea than a Phoenix Dancong. In terms of taste, there is a gentle sweetness, a pleasant degree of astringency and bitterness, with practically no “off” flavors, and both a strong richness and body. The liquor’s texture is thicker than water, but smooth and soft. After swallowing, notes of concentrated ginger jam-like spice and refreshing lemon peel pass through my nose.

The second infusion has a more brilliant aroma, and a richer flavor. I can strongly sense an aroma of fresh sweetness, like ginger jam; a woody, sandalwood-like fragrance; and a savoury note of baked dough. As for the flavor, I can slightly sense a sourness that was practically absent in the first steep. The sweetness and umami are stronger, the liquor feels juicy in my mouth, and the sense of fulfillment that lingers in my throat after swallowing is stronger. In the aftertaste too, the gingerale-like sweetness has become clearly discernible.

In the third infusion, the aroma has settled down a little, and gives the impression of ginger cream and baked sweets. The bitterness became stronger, but the flavor is quite mellow.

It’s a tea with many different components, but on the whole it has consistency and a full flavor. I felt that the special features of this tea are the sense of fulfillment that lingers at the back of the throat after swallowing, and the aroma that passes through the nose. It wasn’t simply a fruity and flowery Phoenix Dan Cong; it was full bodied, very much like a yancha.

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