Milan Xiang Dancong Oolong

Name of the product: Milan Xiang Dancong Oolong

Year: 2021

Material:  35 years old tea bushes

Harvest: Spring.

Altitude: 1000 meters height above sea level

Area: Feng Bei Village, Chaozhou, Guangdong.

(Milan Xiang Dancong Oolong

 Mi Lan Xiang, literally Honey Orchid Aroma, is the most popular Dancong variety on the market. However, its quality varies greatly. To my palate, the best examples of Mi Lan Xiang, (spring harvest) offer flower notes, fruit notes (apricot/peach) and also that honey kind of sweetness.  This one has all of this. The inferior ones for me don’t have such a strong apricot flavor. Take into account that there might be exceptions to what I’ve just said depending on harvest season and processing style (baking level).  There is another variety of Milan Xiang, very different from this one, that has sweet potato notes (Xiang Fan Shu).

The tea garden near this village belongs to the Phoenix Mountain area. It has a high altitude, and it is next to the Wudong Mountain.

 The area surrounding the tea garden has diverse flora and also some wild animals. All of this translates as a favourable environment for the tea plants.

Usually, Mi Lan Xiang is a heavily roasted variety compared to other Dancongs. This one is a superior quality example of properly charcoal-roasted tea.

There are no traces of roast flavour like the one in over-roasted (burn taste) teas.

Instead, this tea has floral, caramel, honey and apricot notes. It also has some bitterness and astringency that are never harsh. 

The tea has a mouthwatering, thick, creamy soup and It causes one to produce a decent amount of salivation. In addition, the aftertaste is intense in the mouth and throat. And will remain for a while after drinking.

I brewed this tea for 12 infusions with 5 grams in a 90ml gaiwan.

We also have a Yashi Xiang from the same producer.

Brewing tip: Dancong tea is a bit more tricky to brew than other Oolongs.

These teas usually prefer a short steeping time and the easiest way is to make it in a porcelain Gaiwan. You can also use a Chaozhou clay teapot, Yixing Zhuni or Hongni. I got good results with these clays too. But you have to find a teapot that suits them. We advise you to experiment with different clays if you plan to use a teapot and compared it with a porcelain gaiwan side by side.