origin Wudong, Guangdong

craft nong xiang

flavor notes peach,floral, brown sugar

origin Wudong, Guangdong

craft nong xiang

flavor notes peach,floral, brown sugar

Song Zhong traces its origins back to the waning days of the Southern Song Dynasty. Locals on Phoenix Mountain tell of the last Song Emperor’s flight from the invading Mongols. Tired and thirsty, the emperor was restored with tea brewed from the leaves of a Phoenix Mountain oolong.

Today, Song Zhong refers to the highest quality varietals of Phoenix Oolongs, propagated from the original trees first harvested on the Phoenix Mountain range. Our Song Zhong comes from an old grove 1000 meters above sea level on Wudong Mountain. Its leaves were hand-gathered from that grove in late April.

Crafted in traditional style, this is a ‘Nong Xiang’ Phoenix Oolong, meaning the leaves are mid-oxidized to 30% before receiving several light charcoal roasts. The dry leaves carry a hint of cantaloupe and honeydew, lychee and brown sugar. Initial mouth feel is smooth and elegant, with a clarity that sets the stage for a heady mid-palate release of flowers, lychee fruit, honey and Eiswein. A remarkably long finish soon follows, anchoring these flavors long after the tea is gone.

Delicious and utterly captivating when brewed well, Phoenix Oolongs are susceptible to high tannin levels, which can result in an astringent texture. To control this, we recommend a flash brewing method, which means a high water temperature and very short infusion time. This fast, high-temperature brewing method quickly extracts aroma and flavor before the tea has time to release excess bitterness or astringency.

Learn the fundamentals of tea brewing and master your technique here.