Deep Dive Into Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong

What kind of tea does Shuang Ji Niang Mountain produce?

The tea gardens of Shuang Ji Niang mountain sit at an altitude of 1000m, high up the authentic home for this tea: Phoenix village in Guangdong, China. The mountains in this region are known as Fenghuang shan, which translates as Phoenix mountains, a name that refers to a mythic phoenix who delivered tea to this area in the Song dynasty. The unique style of teas produced here are therefore known as the Phoenix teas. They are a medium oxidised, roasted oolong that typically sit in the middle to dark end of the oolong spectrum. To give you context, green oolongs like Ali Shan and Iron Buddha are at one end, and teas like Wuyi Oolong and Oriental Beauty from Taiwan at the other end.

The terroir here is a mix of green forests and stony pathways and clearings, which lends the tea a certain minerality in flavour. Though mostly, the Phoenix teas are regarded for their complex fragrances, bright fruit and floral flavours and honeycomb texture. The best ones are highly aromatic – as soon as you add the leaves to a warm pot they’ll release incredible fruit and floral aromas.

There are many cultivars of the tea plant that are used to make phoenix oolong, each with its own lineage and each chosen for its specific flavour profile. Mi Lan Xiang (Honey Orchid Aroma) cultivar is one of the most popular types used to make tea in this area, the flavours being accessible and appreciated. Some of the very old Mi Lan Xiang tea trees are left unpruned and so grow very tall, and the teas from them have become highly prized.

How did we source this batch of tea and who made it?

With so many varieties and flavours to be found among the Phoenix oolongs, it can be hard to choose a single tea to express this terroir. However, in 2019, Tom, our Head of Tea, discovered this batch by tea producer Yong Luo. Tasting Luo's spring production, Tom was blown away by the precise floral fragrance and strong peachy flavour; a true representation of the Honey Orchid cultivar. ​
Luo processed this batch in spring 2019 using the freshest leaves of the year. To begin making this oolong tea it is important to pick the tea leaves on a clear day with no rain, as too much moisture will produce bitterness during the processing.

The tea processing has quite a few precise stages – part of the art of creating a great oolong tea is controlling the level of oxidation in the leaves so that the characteristic fruit and floral flavours are maximised. Luckily for us, Luo has years of experience in doing this and carefully guides the processing of every batch. This is done by lightly tossing the leaves in a large bamboo tumbler or basket which bruises them or gently breaks their edges, so when they are left to rest, they slowly turn from green to red/ brown. Once the desired level of oxidation is achieved, the leaves are then heated up to stop any further flavour change and, capturing the initial flavour of the tea. This firing also giving the leaves their twisted shape.

The final baking stage of Luo’s tea processing is probably the most critical. This is what accentuates the flavour of the tea, adding a layer of complexity, definition and warmth to the infusion. Using electric ovens, the team lightly bake the leaves until they turn a dark hue of green and purple-brown. After this, the fully dried tea will be left to rest for a few weeks for the flavour to develop. Tom tastes a lot of oolongs which have been over baked – it’s tempting because it adds a very prominent flavour that tea drinkers can easily recognise, but we think it masks the high aromas and fruit and floral flavours, giving a one dimensional taste experience.

At the time of writing this, Tom is waiting for Yong Luo’s 2020 batch of teas to arrive for him to taste – as always we’re keen to see what the new season brings – but also, this being a team favourite we are looking forward to tasting some new cultivars and find more flavours from the Phoenix Mountains.

What is this batch like to drink?

I do this for all teas because it adds so much to the taste experience but as Phoenix Honey Orchid Oolong takes aromas to a whole new level, it’s a must to heat the teapot before adding the dry leaves. The heat releases the tea’s heady aromas and you’ll get a ton of juicy, fruit notes like fresh peaches and nectarines, a layer of deep florality and hints of warmth from the bake. It’s certainly complex and highly aromatic.

When drinking the tea, the flavour is sweet at first and the texture feels like honeycomb in the mouth – a smooth layer that gives way to a very slight brisk feeling. This texture enhances the distinct taste of honey and peaches across the palate. As I drink, it slowly transforms into a very pleasing astringency with a strong peach stone minerality that lingers for a long time and leaves a satisfying, quenching feeling. It’s a very distinctive tea with a really captivating flavour.

Where and when is this tea for?

It’s a tea that works all year round. On a sunny day, it’s refreshing, and the bright fruit and floral notes suit the season. On a cooler day, the warmth from the bake is comforting – but the tea gives energy from its refreshing character. It’s an energising tea overall and often in spring as the mornings are warmer, I’ll replace a darker/ warmer breakfast style tea with this as my first tea of the day. It works well as an after lunch pick-me-up too.

It’s easy to make and get great flavour from. I also enjoy this tea as a cold infusion (check out the method below), as the lower temperature extracts more of the sweeter high notes and increases the cooling sensation. It’s an accessible but complex and satisfying tea that has many layers worth discovering.