Verdant Tea

This bundle includes five 25g bags of dancong tea for 125g total (25 sessions). Huang Ruiguang is respected across China as one of the fathers of modern Dancong, written about in every text on the region, recognized as a cultural treasure by the local government, and awarded top medals for every tea he produces. Having spent his life improving Dancong craft across Wudongshan, he has now turned the workshop over to his sons. He works with us because of his retirement goal to share true Wudongshan Dancong beyond China, and build worldwide respect not just for his family but for the whole region he helped put on the map. This tasting kit represents the intense aromatics and wild powerful textural experience that is Dancong. Every tea in the collection is juicy, voluptuously aromatic and focused with a sweet lingering aftertaste. The perfect aromatics that Huang Ruiguang is famous for come from his meticulous hand turning and fluffing process that lasts up to 18 hours to coax out everything the leaf has to offer.

Ya Shi is infamous for its name- which translates to "Duck Droppings." The story is that this varietal was so delicious and so scarce that the locals wanted to think of a name that would stop anyone from trying the tea to keep the secret for themselves. Naming aside, Huang Ruiguang's family Ya Shi Dancong is picked once a year from well-situated mature stock in the famous Wudong Shan region, and brews with a startlingly consistent ginseng-dominant focus and intense sweetness.

The Da Wu Ye varietal takes its name from its unusually large deep green leaves. This limited seasonal harvest is picked in early winter during Han Lu (寒露), when the mountain air is cold and the days are shorter. This yields a unique, intense sweetness and full sparkling texture. While the spring picking is mineral-focused, this harvest is full of intense floral notes and a deep green flavor to complement the sweet aftertaste. 

Xing Ren Xiang, or Almond Aroma is a uniquely savory nut-forward varietal that Huang Ruiguang and his family pick once a year from single bushes cultivated in Wudongshan. These bushes are not pruned back and picked sparingly to encourage deeper roots and more robust flavor year after year. The Huang Family’s meticulous hand processing yields a distinct roasted almond flavor, with notes of cooling pine.

Huang Ruiguang's family Mi Lan Dancong is picked only once a year from single trees that are not pruned back to encourage deeper roots & more robust flavor, year after year. His mountain plot and decades of work in improving agriculture techniques for the region have earned Huang Ruiguang's Milan awards such as the recent 2015 Gold Medal at the Sixth Guangdong Tea Expo. Mi Lan varietal is set apart with its distinctive golden green leaf color in early spring & its luscious deep aromatics.

Da Wu Ye is a truly unique varietal in its intense savory and spicy notes. While most Dancong is all about perfumed floral aromatics, this tea is about texture and flavor. Da Wu Ye varietal takes its name from the unusually large deep green leaves. This harvest comes from mid-elevation Wudongshan stock, picked once a year and processed over 24 hours to bring out the deep savory undertones.

Huang Ruiguang’s Ji Long Kan Dancong is an incredibly unique high elevation tea. The Ji Long Kan tea tree gets its name from its similarity to a "chicken pen" in appearance. Huang Rui Guang and his sons hand picked and hand processed over 24 hours of continuous intensive labor to bring out all the nuanced fruit and florals. The biodiversity of the region and unique microclimate lends a cooling ‘yun’ sensation to this tea for a persistent and commanding taste experience. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong. This tea represents his personal selection to represent the absolute best of what his family produces, and only a few kilograms are available each year. We are excited for the chance to share this incredibly rare tea.

八仙 or Ba Xian references the eight Taoist immortals, a truly evocative name for a truly unique tea. Huang Ruiguang says that originally, there were eight trees growing next to each other, each with a different flavor and appearance, like the Taoist Immortals. Today, five of the eight original trees still remain. Huang Ruiguang’s tree has one of the most perfectly situated east-facing high elevation slopes on Wudongshan, earned for a lifetime of contribution to Fenghuang as an agricultural pioneer and master taster. His Ba Xian Dancong is lush and juicy, full of tropical flower and fruit flavors, coaxed out over 24 hours of intense hand processing.

贼王 or “King of Thieves" got its name from the famous story of a thief stealing this valuable tea tree in the middle of the night over 200 years ago, but leaving some of the roots and trunk in their haste to cut it down. King of Thieves growing today is said to have regrown from that little remaining root stock. This tea was hand picked and hand processed over 24 hours of intense labor to bring out its rich nuanced dessert-like flavor and spiced tropical undertones. The biodiversity of the high elevation Wudongshan plot give this tea deep cooling yun notes. Since only several kilos are picked each year, Huang Ruiguang personally oversees the 24 hour yaoqing finishing process, all without machinery, helping his two sons hone in on the striking one of a kind aromatics and texture that this tea has to offer.

Ye Lai Xiang is named after the tuberose flower which blooms at night. This flower’s heavy scent is used in perfumes and is the inspiration for the varietal name. This Ye Lai Xiang is picked from Huang Ruiguang’s favorite high mountain plot in Wudongshan from older tree stock and meticulously hand finished by Master Huang's sons over 24 hours to bring out the deep aromatics. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong. When Huang Ruiguang personally recommended this tea as a standout example of his reserve collection, it is hard to say no. Expect deep aromatics that linger for hours on the palate, cooling almost electric tingling yun sensation and a deep juicy sweetness that sets this tea apart. Tasting notes rarely do justice to the complexity on offer.

This Huang Zhi Xiang Dancong is picked from Huang Ruiguang's favorite high-elevation plot in Wudongshan from older tree stock and meticulously hand finished by Master Huang's sons over 24 hours to bring out the deep, almost electrifying aromatics. Huang Zhi Xiang is an incredibly rich spiced varietal with natural cooling notes that come through with striking intensity with the perfect microclimate, careful hand-picking, and 24+ hour continuous hand processing and finishing. Only a few kilos are harvested every year, and we are excited for the privilege to share. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong. Though he is mostly retired, he still works with his sons to produce limited quantities of fine teas like this one.

The Da Wu Ye varietal takes its name from its unusually large deep green leaves. This limited seasonal harvest is picked in early winter during Han Lu (寒露), when the mountain air is cold and the days are shorter. This yields a unique, intense sweetness and full sparkling texture. While the spring picking is mineral-focused, this harvest is full of intense floral notes and a deep green flavor to complement the sweet aftertaste. 

Huang Ruiguang's family Jin Lan Xiang comes from the extremely sought after high-elevation Wudongshan older tree stock picked from his favorite plot with a cool microclimate & east-facing slope for early morning light. Jin Lan (金兰) roughly translates to sworn brotherhood, and indeed, this tea takes the dedication of a “sworn brotherhood” to finish, requiring over 24 hours of meticulous and exhausting hand processing to bring out the deep aromatics of this striking and rare varietal. Each sip is almost like drinking candy. Master Huang's fifty years of celebrated work in agricultural innovation has changed the world of Dancong for the better.

This Old Tree Dancong is picked from tree stock over one hundred years old. These trees are allowed to grow wild on the mountainside, and are only picked once a year in small quantities to allow the trees to continue growing. The deeper roots take up more minerals and the long history of the tree means that as a fighter, the plant has produced more polyphenols to fend off threats than cultivated plants, giving it a richer more complex flavor as a result. Master Huang leans on over fifty years of nationally-recognized and awarded work in tea to direct his sons in hand-finishing this limited harvest tea.

Xing Hua Xiang, or Apricot Flower Aroma is an extremely rare varietal hand picked and hand processed by Huang Ruiguang and his sons on their high elevation plot in Wudongshan. Huang Ruiguang has selected this as a standout representation of his reserve collection, the limited old growth teas he cultivates on his favorite tiny Wudongshan plot that is perfectly situated for the right amount of sunlight hours per day. The result is a deeply aromatic, but mineral-rich tea with a well-balanced profile and a luscious sweet aftertaste that lingers for hours. Huang Ruiguang and his sons treat this tea to meticulous yaoqing finishing without the use of any machinery using traditional techniques and a bamboo basket. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong.

Huang Ruiguang's family Mi Lan Dancong is picked only once a year from single trees that are not pruned back to encourage deeper roots & more robust flavor, year after year. His mountain plot and decades of work in improving agriculture techniques for the region have earned Huang Ruiguang's Mi Lan awards such as the recent 2015 Gold Medal at the Sixth Guangdong Tea Expo. This Mi Lan is allowed to naturally oxidize for over 24 hours before being carefully spread, baked and tumbled. The oxidation creates a deep rich black tea flavor, but Mi Lan varietal’s natural juicy floral honey flavor still comes through strong.

Huang Ruiguang’s Ji Long Kan Dancong is an incredibly unique high elevation tea. The Ji Long Kan tea tree gets its name from its similarity to a "chicken pen" in appearance. Huang Rui Guang and his sons hand picked and hand processed over 24 hours of continuous intensive labor to bring out all the nuanced fruit and florals. The biodiversity of the region and unique microclimate lends a cooling ‘yun’ sensation to this tea for a persistent and commanding taste experience. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong. This tea represents his personal selection to represent the absolute best of what his family produces, and only a few kilograms are available each year. We are excited for the chance to share this incredibly rare tea.

Xing Hua Xiang, or Apricot Flower Aroma is an extremely rare varietal hand picked and hand processed by Huang Ruiguang and his sons on their high elevation plot in Wudongshan. Huang Ruiguang has selected this as a standout representation of his reserve collection, the limited old growth teas he cultivates on his favorite tiny Wudongshan plot that is perfectly situated for the right amount of sunlight hours per day. The result is a deeply aromatic, but mineral-rich tea with a well-balanced profile and a luscious sweet aftertaste that lingers for hours. Huang Ruiguang and his sons treat this tea to meticulous yaoqing finishing without the use of any machinery using traditional techniques and a bamboo basket. Master Huang's work in Dancong tasting and agriculture has won him countless awards and recognition, a biography in a 2015 published book on the history of Dancong, and leadership in every convention and tasting event in Guangdong.

This Old Tree Dancong is picked from tree stock over one hundred years old. These trees are allowed to grow wild on the mountainside, and are only picked once a year in small quantities to allow the trees to continue growing. The deeper roots take up more minerals and the long history of the tree means that as a fighter, the plant has produced more polyphenols to fend off threats than cultivated plants, giving it a richer more complex flavor as a result. Master Huang leans on over fifty years of nationally-recognized and awarded work in tea to direct his sons in hand-finishing this limited harvest tea.