Fenghuang Dan Cong (Phoenix Mountain single-trunk or single fragrance tea) tea is produced in the north-east region of northern Guangdong Province ( nearby the city of Chazhou)  and far north of the place in southern Fujian Province where the famous semiball-rolled style oolong teas ( such as Tieguanyin ) are made.

Whereas the most famous of the WuYi Shan rock oolong teas ( yan cha ) are plucked from old, single-trunk tea bushes, Fenghuang Dan Cong teas are plucked from old, arbor-style tea trees, many of which are over 100 years old and have grown to be over twenty feet tall.

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. These tea trees and the tea that is produced from their leaves are named after 'fragrances' that the aroma of the tea is reminiscent of.

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. Fenghuang Dan Congs are  dark, medium to heavy roast strip-style oolongs. They are easily recognized by their extraordinary flavor and distinctive leaf style.

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.