This is just not my cup of tea. I had my first cup of Phoenix Dan Cong at my friend’s home. My impression of his Dan Cong from Guangzhou was an orchid aroma with a hint of honey followed by an intense, long-lasting aftertaste. I decided to give Teavana’s Phoenix Mountain Dan Cong Oolong a try and the result was rather disappointing.
I followed their exact brewing instruction of 1.5 tsp for 8 oz of water at 195 F for 3 min. The infusion was flat—- nothing close to the complexity I tasted from my friend’s no-brand Dan Cong. I tasted roasted vegetables and a very mild hint of licorice. The aftertaste was soft and only lasted for a few brief seconds.
I decided to give it another try and brewed a new batch for an extra 30 seconds (3.5 min). Astringency increased but the taste and aroma remained the same otherwise.
