Phoenix Song Zhong (80+ Old Tree)

Tea Type: Oolong Tea

Tea Region: Da'an Village, Wu Dong Shan, Guangdong Province, China

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Transluscent, dense orange golden coloured liquor.  
• Aroma:  Woody, brown sugar, floral (orange blossom) notes.
• Flavour: Woody (cedar, rosewood), honey, brown sugar, medicinal (sweet root vegetable, red burdock), floral (orange blossoms), rocky minerality. 
• Mouthfeel: Harmonious, gentle, rounded liquor with presence minerality.

Phoenix Song Zhong, often shortened to Song Zhong, has been cultivated since the Song Dynasty. The tea tree is a hybrid of the Shui Xian cultivar and it shares many characteristics with Shui Xian.

Made from older than 80 years old, wild Song Zhong tea trees, Song Zhong is very unique in terms of flavour and mouthfeel. While it releases typical fruity and floral notes (citrusy note, orange blossom), it offers a unique sweet, soothing, medicinal undertone such as honey, red burdock and strong rocky minerality. Also, it remarkably lacks harshness or astringency. This tea boasts a pronounced and powerful hui gan (回甘), a 'returning sweet' aftertaste that lingers in the throat.  

Brewing Guidance

• Measure 1g of tea per 100ml water. Boil water to 90℃. Steep for 4-5 minutes.

Brewing Guidance

• Gong Fu: 4g of tea leaves / 100ml Gaiwan / 90C water. 
• Measure 3g of tea per 250ml water. Boil water to 90℃. Steep for 4 minutes. 

Reference: Op. 160

Tips for Tea Connoisseurs

"Dancong", translated into "single shrub" or "single bush" in Chinese, refers to an individual tea plant cultivated from a variety of Shui Xian cultivar. As the sub-varietals of Shui Xian cultivars grown on the region have very different characteristics in terms of leaf and tree shape, teas made from different individual shrubs happened to develop very distinctive aroma and flavour profile from one to the other, which explains why the oolong teas produced in the region are called as "Dancong Oolong". 

Phoenix Song Zhong, often shortened to Song Zhong, has been cultivated since the Song Dynasty. The tea tree is a hybrid of the Shui Xian cultivar and it shares many characteristics with Shui Xian. Song Zhong's origins can be traced back to the final days of the Southern Song Dynasty. According to local legends on Phoenix Mountain, the last Song Emperor, fleeing from the Mongol invaders, was revived by tea made from the leaves of a Phoenix Mountain oolong, hence the origin of the name of the tea, Song Zhong.

In contemporary times, Song Zhong represents one of the finest dancong varieties of Phoenix Oolongs, derived from the original trees first cultivated on the Phoenix Mountain range. Our Song Zhong is made from more than 80 years old, wild tea trees. In comparison to other phoenix dancong oolong teas, Song Zhong is very unique in terms of flavour and mouthfeel. While it releases typical fruity and floral notes (citrusy note, orange blossom), it offers a unique sweet, soothing, medicinal undertone such as honey, red burdock and strong rocky minerality. Also, it remarkably lacks harshness or astringency. This tea boasts a pronounced and powerful hui gan (回甘), a 'returning sweet' aftertaste that lingers in the throat.  

In Mr. Huang's tea garden, there are many old tea trees (gushu) with their age varying up to 600 years old and he only produces the very finest, top of the cream phoenix dancong oolong tea from these rare, precious gushu trees. Also, as these trees are strictly protected by the Chinese government, they are not allowed to use any pesticide either. We were really impressed by the diversity of tea cultivars in their tea garden and the quality of their phoenix oolongs during our visit in 2018. 

If you're serious about Phoenix oolong teas, try our incredible phoenix oolong teas made from gushu tea trees older than 100 years old - Phoenix Laocong Shui Xian, Phoenix Laocong Duck Shit Dancong, Phoenix Laocong Eight Immortals, Phoenix Eastern Red.

As with all the teas, oolong tea also offers us health benefits to increase our sense of well-being. Several studies indicate that oolong tea is a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols and it may well be just as beneficial as green tea to promote weight loss and cardiovascular health by reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol. 

If you like this product you may also like Phoenix Eight Immortals.