Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong
The Dan Cong with the least appetising name in tea, reportedly given to deter thieves from a grower’s unusually good bushes. The tea itself is intensely floral and mineral with a long cooling finish, and it is now sold under the euphemism Yin Hua Xiang as often as under its original name.
Character
Floral and stony at once, with a cooling finish that lasts noticeably longer than the cup. The most distinctive Dan Cong aroma type and the one most often bought a second time.
- Flavour
- Floral, Mineral, Citrus
- Aroma
- Orchid, Fresh
- Mouthfeel
- Astringent, Bitter, Complex
- Complexity
- Layered
- Notes
- gardenia, wet stone, grapefruit peel, wildflower
- Aftertaste
- Long, cooling and mineral, with a floral return.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- China
- Region
- Phoenix Mountain
- Oxidation
- Partially oxidised
- Roast
- Light
- Harvest
- Spring
- Processing
- Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting
Authenticity: The origin story about deterring thieves is folklore and should be read as such. What is verifiable is that the aroma type is well established and that both names refer to the same tea.
Brewing
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
5–6 g/100 ml · 95–100 °C · 6 authored infusions
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 2 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Mi Lan Xiang Dan Cong
The sweetest and most forgiving Dan Cong aroma type; learn the very short steeps on it first.
- Ling Tou Dan Cong
Both come from the widely planted Bai Ye stock, which is why they are the most available Dan Congs. Availability rather than quality is what separates them from the rarer types.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Huang Zhi Xiang Dan Cong
Shares 6 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: floral, citrus, bitter, astringent, complex and orchid.
- Sheng pu-erh (raw)
Shares 6 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: floral, mineral, bitter, astringent, complex and fresh.
- Zhi Lan Xiang Dan Cong
Shares 6 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: floral, mineral, astringent, bitter, complex and orchid.
- Bulang sheng pu-erh
Shares 5 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: mineral, bitter, astringent, complex and fresh.
- Phoenix Dan Cong
Shares 5 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: floral, astringent, bitter, complex and orchid.
- Alishan oolong
Shares 4 descriptors with Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong: floral, complex, orchid and fresh.
Written comparisons
Where TeaHQ has set this tea against another in full, rather than deriving the comparison.
- Dan Cong aroma types compared — Phoenix Mountain classifies its teas by aroma rather than by grade or garden, and the classifications are real cultivar and processing distinctions rather than marketing.