Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong (Duck Shit)

Description

Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong is one of the most memorable Phoenix Dan Cong oolongs, famous not only for its beautiful aroma but also for its surprisingly unusual name. “Ya Shi Xiang” is often translated as “Duck Shit Fragrance”, but the name should not be taken literally — the tea itself is elegant, floral, sweet, and highly aromatic, with notes of orchid, honey, stone fruit, light creaminess, and a refined mineral finish. Dan Cong oolongs are traditionally associated with the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong, and many are named after their dominant fragrance style.
The curious name is part of the tea’s charm. The most repeated story says that farmers gave this exceptional cultivar an unattractive name to stop others from stealing cuttings from the valuable tea trees. Another version connects the name to the local yellowish mineral soil, sometimes nicknamed “duck-shit soil.” Either way, the rough-sounding name hides a very refined tea — bright, fragrant, and distinctive, with a lingering sweet aftertaste that makes Ya Shi Dan Cong one of the most talked-about styles of Phoenix oolong.