Shèmen Dancong Double Baked, Phoenix dancong oolong
$ 34.00
Rock tea of Phoenix
Deep in Wudong, the most revered area for Fenhuang Dancong production, the village of Shèmen ( sheh-mehn ) is home to one of the most elusive traditional style oolongs. Here the Shè ( 畬 ) tribe settled a thousand years ago and began producing oolong to bake it in a way that was copied in Wuyishan a few hundred years later to produce Wuyi oolongs. Tea Hong’s double baked and matured Shèmen Dancong is our best attempt to reconstruct the same tea of the peace-loving and hard-working Shè people 10 centuries ago. This old style oolong gives a clear and most eloquent definition of the tea term yan-yun — music from the rock. The term has been mostly employed to describe better Wuyi oolongs yet it has never been more beautifully defined by this Phoenix tea. If you ever wonder about the relationship of the oolongs between the two regions, this may well be the link you are looking for.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
In stock
珍藏 2016 文火深焙 老樹輋門單欉
Taste profile:
Nose: Warm, sweet and refreshing aroma reminiscent of sun-dried lychee, with distinct undertones of peach, ginger blossom and almond. Accents of roasted Chinese liquorice and hints of star anise and fennel. Palate: Smooth, malty liquor of baked rye overtone tinkled with accents of mellow spices and oats. Undertone of peach and dang shen ( codonopsis pilosula ) accentuated with tings of peach peel and bergamot zest. Finish: Deep, long aftertaste of malt and the pacifying fragrance of sun-dried Xinhuai mandarin orange peel.
For a classic style Phoenix, if our Honey Orchid Supreme tastes too complex for you, and Orchid Gratus too sweet and floral, this Shèmen Dancong is an option that is rich and deep enough for veteran gongfu tea aficionados and can still be smooth and easy for casual infusion and daily consumption.
Infusion tips:
Contrary to common practices and concepts in China, very short infusion with a lot of leaves is NOT going to render the full profile of any finer Phoenix oolongs. Particularly for a tea as fine as this matured and double baked Shèmen Dancong. If you prefer a gongfu approach, begin with 5g to 150 ml water at between 85° to 90°C for 30 sec. Lower the temperature or leaf amount if you find this setting too strong for you. Otherwise, try raising the temperature a notch for moe aroma or increasing the duration for better umami and more complexity in the liquor.
For people who steep tea in conventional ways, such as in a mug, try 1g to 100 ml at 85°C for 5 to 7 minutes. Lower the ratio, but increase the duration for bigger vessels. Also very slightly raise the temperature. Always preheat the infusion ware. Always separate the leaves from the liquor after each round.
Storage tips:
Avoid contact with unused leaves, not even the moisture from your breathe. Always minimise the amount of air in the storage bag and close the bag tightly. If you want to further mature this tea, it is better to keep the bag unopened.
Maturing:
We have stored and rebaked this tea in a seven month period and then further matured it for three years before releasing it. Tea Hong’s Shèmen Dancong 2016 is good as is but can be further matured if you want to. Maturing will give more complexity to the aroma and an even smoother body. It is important that you taste the tea as is before deciding that you like it and will mature it yourself. We recommend maturing with a properly handled and unopened pack. Store pack at between 20~25°C in a dark and dry environment.
Related article:
Freshness, Staleness, and Maturity
Counterfeit note:
Since this name has been mentioned in a few pieces of Fenghuang Dancong literature but the actual tea not easy to access, vendors have employed various substitutes or blends to create their own version of the tea. Various descriptions of appearance, taste and aroma have appeared in different Chinese sources and copied to sites in the West. Myths easily get propagated on the internet to the benefits of some. Such is the state of the world.
Additional information
| Weight | 90 g |
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| Dimensions | 18 × 9 × 5 cm |
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Reviews(5)
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Longjing First Flush, hand-roasted green tea
Cool Energy, Fuller Bodies, Green teas, Lighter Aromas, Tea, ZhejiangHangzhou Original:
This is a more affordable version of the most sought after Chinese green tea. While some people are willing to pay thousands for a small pack of the earliest harvest in Spring, Tea Hong brings you what is authentic but slightly later in season, for similar enjoyment but much less in price. It is, nevertheless, still a first flush — some tea grows slower than others, dependent on the cultivar, horticulture and micro-climate.
Net weight: 60 g (2.1 oz) in Kraft-alu pack 
Red Cloak Grande, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea, Warm Energy, Wuyi-shanCentenary Bush Dahong Pao:
The most revered amongst all Wuyi oolongs, Da Hongpao (translate: Big Red Cloak) from the pure pedigree grown in better horticultural environment mean significant difference and are most sought after. Tea Hong’s Red Cloak Grande is an extremely limited production (10 kg/year) harvested from two second generation noble breed that are over 100 yrs old in the heights of Wuyi. Masterfully processed to best deliver the taste this name represents.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack 
Tieguanyin Stout, bouquet oolong
Cool Energy, Floral Aromas, Milder Tastes, Minnan/ Mindong, Fujian, Oolongs, TeaSummit of Chang Keng
While Tea Hong's Tieguanyin Traditional is a softer, sweeter style of the bead-rolled oolong, Tieguanyin Stout from the summit of Chang Keng, although from the same strand of cultivar, yields a much more robust taste profile. Local people say that is due to the soil and higher mineral content of the underground water. Considering the location is only about one hour away from where Tieguanyin Traditional is produced within the same county, it is quite amazing. Maybe it is also due to the slightly different style of processing, we guess. We are happy to have found it at this pristine quality after all, so as to offer to you an alternative style of this most well-known Fujian oolong.
Net weight: 100g (3.5 oz) in Kraft-alu pack 
Cassia Classic, Wuyi yancha oolong
Denser Aromas, Fuller Bodies, Oolongs, Tea, Warm Energy, Wuyi-shanClassic Rougui Cultivar
Cassia (Rougui) was the first tea variety that received popular praise in the recent few hundred years from the Wuyi region. Named after the tree bark spice, there is otherwise no biological relationship at all, although there is an aromatic component in the oolong that is akin to that of the spice. This classic version is a bit deeper baked than the supreme “Extraordinaire” version, as has traditionally been done for the past century, or longer. This tea is also available in a small portion as a part of Tea Taster’s Box: Nine Oolong Samplers.
Net weight: 40 g (1.4 oz) in Kraft-alu pack
This is old style dancong for sure. It’s amazing to me that such a vivid and apparent transformation in the flavor profile is captured as flawlessly as it is here, with so much nuance and clarity between the crisp high notes and the ultra-smooth body.
On the initial sip, a powerful sensation grips the tongue and creates a lively mouthfeel that has rocky minerality to it, but is not metallic. Within a matter of seconds after swallowing the soup, this strong minerality melts away and reveals a beautiful symphony of flavors, all perfectly orchestrated and seemingly emanating out from that rocky minerality.
Maybe that’s what “music from the rock” means – and if so, this is a brilliant example of a rare quality not found in many dancong nowadays. More modern processing techniques are not focused on bringing such a characteristic out, and while they can be good overall, they can also be lacking yan-yun entirely.
The way the mouthfeel builds progressively is beautiful – so many layers of flavor are possible to explore because this tea has such a deep and round body. I get overt undertones of plums, lychee, almonds, and a kind of spice that is reminiscent of toasted coriander seed, plus all kinds of subtle sensations like licorice root and citrus fruits, some of which sparkle on the palate and feel electrifying, and others which weave in and out so softly they are barely detectable, yet so refined once I sense them.
This is glorious. What a rare and complex experience. If you want something special; not only in its flavor profile, but also for the tradition it represents, and the nearly thousand-year-old history it perfectly exemplifies, then this is definitely the right choice!
I am truly amazed at your sensibility in tea tasting. Seems like you were someone my age (which cannot be, I am really old) to be able to recognise the old way of processing and baking for a fine Fenghuang Dancong. Indeed a large proportion of producers avoid the traditional and more demanding steps not only for lowering the demand on resources, but also for a current trend for shorter oxidation and lighter baking. This is happening not only in lesser regions, but also in renowned origins. For a same batch of fresh tealeaves, the newer style is easier to master and takes much less time. It saves costs and requires lesser expertise, and is understandably marketed a lot more aggressively. While the old style produces a deeper and more intricate taste profile, the art is not propagating as much as I’d like to see. A need by the market is the only driving force for it to stay. It is only with a traditionally produced Phoenix Dancong that is properly aged can receive a secondary deeper baking for maturing into a tea like this one. I am grateful that there is an appreciator of this quality outside of Asia and Chinese diasporas.
Indeed, it is a very nice mix of Dan Cong and Yan Cha! It has a wonderful taste and gives by body energy and warmth. Because of the energy boost it is great for a break in the office at work!
Smart use of the tea! We sometimes bring this to the dimsum restaurant for its compatibility that is akin to some of the Wuyi oolongs too!
The very first Phoenix tea that really “rocks” me.
The first impression from the strong infusion of gongfu approach is, it rocks! It hits hard in the very first sense then mellows out in toasty grains and finishes with concentrated cool fruity sensation. The finish itself is very long, sweet, like a good stone fruit.
And, yes, it rocks. It’s energy stimulates my entire sense and seems to expand it further but not too hasty. I’m glad to meet this tea.
What a concise way of describing the experience! Indeed, each tea is like a unique individual. Meeting one can be like encountering a new character, learning a different personality. For over twenty years I continue to be impressed by new ethos, unique traits. Tea is a wonderful world.
Another Exquisite Dancong!
Enjoyed Honey Orchid Supreme and Shemen Dancong Double Baked, and both are exquisite. Former is like a young, fresh and exuberant princess with playful joy, an unbridled celebration. Latter is of an adult princess, mellowed but still resplendent, a quiet assurance.
That really is a refreshing way of comparing the two tea, and come to think of it, quite accurate!
Tea Hong never disappoints.
One of the best Oolongs I ever had, this Shèmen Dancong Double Baked has a rich peach note, both in the aroma and the taste. Try to experiment with short AND longer infusions, both will bring you different, but very rich and complex results.
It’s an unique tea and isn’t comparable to other Oolongs in my honest opinion as these peach, mandarin notes change their complexity and aroma over the course of the infusions. You won’t regret buying it.
Thank you for your nice review. Indeed those fruit notes do add to the complexities of this very fine oolong. So happy that you enjoy it!