No. 113, Ya Shi Xiang (Duck Sh*t)

The name of this popular single-varietal, organic, dan cong wu long tea translates to the most memorable “Duck Sh*t Aroma”, which is based on a legend. The large, dark leaves of Ya Shi Xiang unfurl to present a golden-hued infusion with a smooth, voluptuous mouthfeel, fruity notes of stone fruit and tangerine that give way to expressions of tropical flowers, such as jasmine. Very  elegant. 

The organic leaves are harvested by hand in April, sun dried, left to rest, shaken and this process is repeated six times. Then they are stir-fried, upon which then they are twisted and kneaded, re-fermented twice, and fired twice. Finally they are oxidized to 30%, then roasted repeatedly until the sweet, honey and floral aroma is brought forth. It is known as “Nong Xiang” style. This tea is floral, with notes of stone fruit, and deeply aromatic which makes it highly desirable.

We source this wonderful tea from small, self-owned garden in Guangdong, China an area famous for it’s spectacular Feng Huang Dan Cong (Phoenix) oolong. Their estate is organic, and occasionally visited by wild elephants, which only adds to the allure. 

Ya Shi Xiang should be steeped multiple times to enjoy the full expression of its leaves.

 Origin: Feng Huang Shan, Chao Zhou, Guangdong Province, China 2024

Elevation: 800-900 m.

Grade: A, Organic