MiLan Xiang Dan Cong is a highly renowned Oolong, traditionally produced in the Fenghuang Shan or “Phoenix Mountains” in the northern part of Guangdong, at elevations between 1100 meters and 1300 meters. It is a tea that benefits from incredible terroir, mineral-rich soil, and a pristine environment in which to develop all its sweet flavors to the fullest.
It is important to shed some light on all the terms that define this tea. The term Dan Cong (“single bush”) stands for the singularity of these teas: this name tells us that each tea produced in this area comes from a single variety of tree, and each variety will give a definite and singular taste in the cup. In fact, there are no crosses between the different varieties in the same plantation.
This attention to non-commingling between shrubs of different varieties serves to be able to maximize the uniqueness of the camellias that have established themselves in these mountains and to preserve a botanical heritage that gives teas with very different tastes, even though they are concentrated in the same region. Each Dan Cong has an organoleptic profile that seems to recall a particular natural element: a fruit, for example, or a flower or even a spice. Yet they are absolutely pure teas, neither flavored nor scented!
Mi Lan Xiang, which for us translates to “honey and orchid fragrance,” is one of the above varieties: already from the name we can guess the aromas we will find in the wet leaves and the flavors we will discover in the cup. The leaves have a good floral aroma along with notes of baked goods, due to the roasting this tea undergoes during its processing. Once infused. this feeling of baked sweetness will evolve into dried fruit flavors, which will marry well with the floral hint and then leave a honey-sweet nectarine aftertaste in the mouth.
Place of origin
Fenghuang Shan, Chao Zhou village, Guangdong, China.
Milan Xiang Dan Cong Oolong Tea Production
After harvesting, the leaves wilt in the sun for 10 to 20 minutes followed by a resting phase on bamboo trays under cover. From here, oxidation is initiated through the important step of shaking and also thanks to a manual massage of the leaf, performed by the master producer. When the leaves have the desire oxidation level (generally for Dan Con it is between the 50% and 80%) the leaves go into an oven heated up by coal where the enzymes related to the oxidation process are deactivated. After this stage in the oven, the leaf is given its final shape by special machinery before moving on to the roasting cycles, which allow the product to finish drying and thus enhance its flavors.
Ingredients: oolong tea
Preparation of Oolong Milan Xiang Dan Cong tea
We highly recommend infusing this tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 5 grams of leaves (about 3 heaping teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to make several infusions with different flavors. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 95°C, an initial infusion of 10 seconds can be made, and after that, keeping the water at the same temperature, the time can be increased each time by 10 seconds from the previous infusion (10 – 20 – 30 …). This tea has a longevity of about 7 brewings.
For a classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 200-mL cup with 95°C water for an infusion time of 2-3 minutes.
The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting, and the brewing times given here above are also meant to be purely indicative-you can also adjust according to your personal taste. It is recommended when tasting that you try to let the tea rest in the cup for about a minute before drinking it, so you can better feel the sweetness of the tea.
Storage: Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.