Ya Shi Xiang Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong Tea

It was the first time I didn’t finish my tea.
The aroma is nice, some kind of flowery. The taste… no so much. Following the recommended steeping method I didn’t get much body. The bitterness wasn’t pleasant for my taste.
I’ll try the western method the next time.
9 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 15s, 20s, (i didn’t bother to continue 30s, 50s, 70s, 100s, 130s)

Thanks for the samples, Teavivre! This was a while ago that I received this, but I really didn’t want to go longer without writing a review. So this harvest is probably from last year. Just to give a warning that the flavor might not be the freshest. This steep session does taste like it did when I tried it a few months ago though. I must admit, this type of tea is not one I’d consider a favorite. I can never taste distinct flavors from these types of dark, wiry oolongs. The color of the brew is yellow, which is always an interesting contrast to those black leaves. The flavor isn’t strong enough for me. It’s very light, sweet with only hints of cream and minerals. For one sip, there was a moment of peach. In my limited experience with ‘phoenix’ oolong, the leaves usually have a hint of peach flavor. All three cups were very stable and consistent in flavor. When I drink tea, I’d really prefer more flavor. So this tea might not be for me, but I’m sure it’s for someone out there!
Steep #1 // half a sample pouch for a full mug// 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 15 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // few minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep

Last few days been drinking tea I already reviewed. Tonight I felt like trying one of my new samples. It was a taxing day so what better way than to sit down and chill with some tea, right?

This Ya Shi, duck shit aroma, is very aromatic, savory. Strong floral with a roasted aroma along with fruitiness. Despite the strong fragrance, the taste was surprisingly mellow. I don’t have much experience with duck shit aroma so maybe that’s typical. I was just expecting a super strong taste. It had sweet, honey notes, lots of floral notes and unlike other reviews who said there was zero bitterness, I did get a few bitter notes but it’s balanced so it worked out well. Creamy mouthfeel without the milky taste. Grassy or green notes popped up. It definitely has character, changing slightly from steep to steep. Full-bodied. The aftertaste is pleasant, slight drying of the tip of the tongue feeling.

8g, 212℉, 110ml, 9 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 50s, 70s, 100s, 130s

Before this sample from teavivre I hadn’t had the chance to try duck shot oolong but after being amused by the name so many times I had it added on to an order at teavivre. Normally I prefer greener teas as a whole, less oxidized, etc but the warm honey and light hay notes I get from this oolong are excellent. It holds up to repetive steeps in my gaiwan and continues to deliver sweet warmness even later on. As I get into later steeps it become deeper and a little more pungent. I would whole heartedly recommend this tea.

So at long last, I finally got my hands on some duck shit oolong. I have long been intrigued by this funny sounding tea, but couldn’t bring myself to commit to a 50g bag. Thankfully I was able to get a sampler recently from Teavivre. The ability to sample any tea is another reason why I love this tea shop.

This tea has a honey-gardenia flavor profile. It’s on the greener end of the oolong spectrum but has an ever so subtle roast that brings out hints of warm spice, honey, and almond. I enjoyed the crispness and mellow florals of this tea. Mouthfeel is rich and buttery. However around the 4th steep, it began shifting to a more savory flavor. It develops a bit of pungency and leaves behind a leathery aftertaste.

I had mixed feelings about this tea. It starts off great, but eventually turns soup-like with some odd flavors. Nevertheless, as a green oolong lover the roast on this tea is on point. It retains the delicate flowery notes and has a caramel edge without ever tasting roasty. I’ll likely revisit this tea somewhere down the road, this time with a fresher batch and/or a higher grade of duck shit.

Very buttery taste and a strong floral aroma that lingers in the mouth. Slightly “green” taste due to the light roast, and a mild fruity sweetness. I’m having a hard time picking out any specific notes on this tea, but it’s quite nice.

Thanks for this one Teavivre! I believe that this is my first Dan Cong. I’m looking into exploring oolongs this year, which I’m learning is a lot more expensive than the black teas I’ve been getting.

This one is nice: buttery, florals, and a hint of peach. I’m drinking it Western this time, which I think I prefer.

This tea is a medium oolong with a baked floral aroma, which is contrary to its name. Ya Shi Xiang, according to Teavivre’s description, translates to Duck Shit Aroma. I guess the person who named this tea only fed his ducks flowers. It has a buttery sweet taste with flavors of flowers and a little creaminess. There is a touch of savoriness and the flavor is quite complex. This tea is definitely something I would drink again.