What is “Lao Cong” Phoenix Dong Cong Oolong?

The Phoenix oolong tea is often called as Phoenix Dan Cong oolong Tea. The “Dan Cong” means a single tea tree, and Dan Cong oolong means that tea is produced from the selected tea trees. Usually, the manufacturers do not make a single batch out of one tea tree; they combine a few tea trees and produce a batch of about 5-10kg as one batch. For teas that are grown in a garden meant for the mass-production, it is not called as Phoenix Dan Cong oolong. A Dan Cong oolong must be of an identical tea tree.

The view from Wu Dong Shan

The magnification of one part of the above photo. All those hills are completely covered with tea trees where those teas are meant for the lower grade Phoenix Oolong. In Phoenix town, most of the areas are dominated by these tea gardens. I believe more than 80% or even 90% of those Phoenix teas are not of the Dan Cong oolong but a garden tea.

What is “Lao Cong” oolong?

Out of “Dan Cong”, there is another category called the “Lao Cong” which means the old tea tree. The teas that are named as Lao Cong should be more than 300 years old and these tea trees are a symbolic tea in Wu Dong Shan. Unlike Dan Cong tea, this Lao Cong tea is rarely mixed with the tea leaves from other trees where their batches often only comes from a single tea tree. The Lao Cong tea is extremely limited; therefore the price is quite high. The distinctness of a Lao Cong Phoenix Oolong is that it gives extremely smooth drinking feeling and yet very deep after taste. Moreover, the flavor lasts a remarkably long time in the throat, plus, the tea flows so smoothly down the throat. Due to the high mineral content, the tea would make us feel warm and our face would blushes. It is the so-called tea drunk.

The tea tree in center is old enough to call Lao Cong.

More than five types of Lao Cong Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong

I have bought more than five types of Lao Cong Phoenix oolong this year. Although they are expensive teas, it is worthwhile to try it. At least, why not indulge it on a special occasion or day?

The lao cong of Dong Fang Hong