Introduction:This article delves into the Tongtianxiang Dancong Oolong tea, crafted from a 300-year-old single ancient tree grown at an altitude of 1200 meters in Wuyan, Phoenix Mountain, harvested in 2020. It explores the background of its extremely limited production, its unique fruity aroma profile, and the creamy texture brought out by light roasting. Readers will learn about the actual yield of this tea, its tasting characteristics, suitable brewing methods, and gain insight into Master Lin’s decades-long journey in tea-making — self-taught yet internationally acclaimed.
Tongtianxiang Dancong Oolong is an exceptionally rare oolong tea, originating from a 300-year-old award-winning ancient tea tree located at 1200 meters above sea level in the Wuyan mountain area of Phoenix Mountain. In the spring of 2020, this ancient tree yielded less than 5 kilograms of rough tea, making it truly scarce and high-quality. The tea was entirely handcrafted by veteran tea master Lin, who personally oversaw every step from picking to roasting, showcasing the unique aroma and flavor profile of a single-tree tea.
This tea belongs to the Phoenix Dancong Oolong category, often simply referred to as Dancong Oolong in the market. Its most distinctive feature is its richly layered aroma, often featuring natural floral and fruity notes. However, due to the limited yield of single-tree teas, most commercially available Dancong teas are blends from multiple trees of the same variety. Master Lin insists on using leaves from only a single ancient tree, so each batch of tea has a distinctly unique flavor character — the 2020 batch being particularly rare.
The light roasting process gives this Dancong Oolong a smooth and creamy mouthfeel, reminiscent of butter. Upon tasting, one can distinctly perceive the sweetness of tropical fruits, including flavors of mango, strawberry, and peach intermingling, with a long-lasting aftertaste. The tea liquor is sweet and mellow, especially after rinsing the leaves with boiling water, which makes the bold fruity aroma even more pronounced. This jam-like, rich sweetness is a classic expression of single-tree, single-bush teas.
In terms of brewability, this tea performs excellently. It is recommended to use a higher tea-to-water ratio paired with shorter steeping times, which helps to reveal different layers of aroma and flavor with each brew — from the fresh fruity notes of the first infusion to the rich sweetness in later steeps.
Wuyan Mountain features rugged terrain, winding paths, and is shrouded in mist, making it one of the best-preserved areas of ancient tea trees outside of Yunnan. In this mountainous region, tea trees grow in diverse forms — some tall and upright, others leaning due to the constant force of mountain winds. The area hosts not only wild ancient tea trees but also small-scale tea gardens planted by villagers decades ago, creating a primitive and biodiverse ecosystem.
Master Lin does not come from a tea farming family, yet through his passion and dedication to tea-making, he has become a widely recognized master in the industry. He taught himself tea production techniques, traveled across the Phoenix Mountain area, studied the terrain and microclimates, and sought advice from tea makers everywhere, gradually building up his experience and skills. Though he does not own any tea gardens, he focuses on renting ancient tea trees from their owners and hand-picking and processing them himself, ensuring that every leaf meets his strict standards.
Master Lin began his tea-making journey in the late 1980s and has been refining his craft for thirty years, with particular emphasis on integrating terroir characteristics with fine-tuned production details. Starting in 2002, he actively participated in various tea-making competitions. With solid technical skills and a deep understanding of the essence of tea, he consistently achieved outstanding results. Among these, in 2007 he won the top gold award at the Guangzhou International Tea Expo with a Dancong tea, a feat that remains a significant benchmark in the industry to this day.
Master Lin attributes his success to continuous learning and exchange. He enjoys sharing insights with tea makers from all regions and learns from every competition. He believes that tea-making is not just about technique, but also about respect and understanding of nature. Only by treating every leaf with care can one bring out the most authentic and captivating flavors.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
