Fenghuang Dan Cong (Phoenix Mountain single-trunk or single fragrance tea) tea is produced in northern Guangdong Province, not too far from the place in southern Fujian Province where the famous semiball-rolled-style oolong teas ( such as Tieguanyin ) are made.

Fenghuang Dan Congs are  dark, medium to heavy roast strip-style oolongs. They are easily recognized by their extraordinary flavor and distinctive leaf style. In this region, unique  varieties of Camellia sinensis tea bushes have been growing for centuries in the high reaches of the Phoenix Mountains. The oldest tea bushes are living treasures. Many of them are hundreds of years old and have grown into stately trees that feature a bush-like habit.  These trees yield fresh leaf of an extraordinary  size, and the resulting teas are extremely flavorful and seductively aromatic. The best Fenghuang Dan Cong oolongs exhibit a palate-teasing abundance of mineral, floral, and ripe-stone fruit flavors in the cup. These teas are charcoal-fired, and, like a fine burgundy wine, require patience and diligent steeping to coax the best flavor from the leaf.

Mary Lou’s photograph captures a late spring morning on Phoenix Mountain perfectly: the soft blanket of clouds-and-mist lifts to reveal a perfectly-formed Frenghuang Dan Cong bush waiting to be plucked.