Today we’ll discuss the last of the ten aroma types, pomelo blossom aroma, and conclude this installment of our introduction to the ten aroma types of Phoenix Dancong tea. This is just my humble opinion, and I hope fellow tea lovers will offer their guidance and engage in further discussions.
The aroma of pomelo blossoms—Xiao Shi’s understanding of this aroma is that it’s almost impossible to find truly authentic Dancong tea with this fragrance nowadays. This is because most of the pomelo blossom aroma teas we taste now are actually more characteristic of the Da Wu Ye (large black leaf) type, making it difficult to perceive the pure pomelo blossom aroma. Tea lovers have all eaten pomelos, right? In traditional, authentic pomelo blossom tea, you can actually taste the fresh fruity aroma of the pomelo peel. Therefore, many tea enthusiasts express surprise, wondering how it can be so magical. And it is indeed magical!
Youhua Xiang type representative
1.The Da Wu Ye Dan Cong tea(大乌叶)
The Da Wu Ye Dan Cong tea variety is named for its dark green leaves (commonly known as “black”) and larger leaves than other varieties.
It grows in Cha Li Ze, east of Shangjiao Village in the Dongshang Management Area, at an altitude of approximately 450 meters, managed by tea farmer Lin Qi’an. (In 1958, the village’s Zhongjiu production team introduced a batch of seedlings from Liziping in Wudong. After careful cultivation by Lin Minsheng and others, they discovered that this particular plant’s tea leaves were a deeper green than others and had larger leaves, which they found unusual and considered a superior variety. Therefore, they harvested and processed it separately, achieving single-bush quality. Subsequently, propagation was carried out through cuttings, culminating in large-scale grafting throughout the entire Fenghuang region in 1990.) This is a sexually propagated plant, 50 years old, 2.76 meters tall, with an open growth habit. It has 8 branches above ground, with a moderate branching density. The crown measures 3.29 × 33.29 meters. The leaves are upward-sloping, with mature leaves averaging 11.2 cm long and 3.8 cm wide, and are oblong in shape. This variety produces five flushes of new shoots annually and is a high-yielding and highly aromatic variety. Spring buds sprout before the spring budding season, and harvesting occurs before Grain Rain (a solar term). The buds are green and covered in fine hairs. The leaves are smooth, dark green, slightly folded inwards, thick and soft in texture, with 36 pairs of fine, shallow, and blunt serrations. The main vein is grooved on the upper surface and raised on the lower surface, and is bluish-green. There are 10 pairs of lateral veins. The leaf tip is gradually tapering and curves backwards. Due to the vigorous growth of the tea plant, it produces relatively few flowers and fruits.
Quality characteristics: The tea leaves are tightly rolled, large, dark brown, and oily; possessing a natural pomelo blossom aroma (similar to the aroma of other varieties), the aroma is rich and long-lasting; the tea liquor is bright orange-yellow; the taste is mellow, fresh, and smooth.
2.The Youye Dancong（柚叶单枞）
The Youye Dancong variety is named for its leaves, which resemble those of a pomelo tree.
Growing on a west-facing hillside at an altitude of 800 meters in a tea garden behind Zimao’anjiao Village in the Fengxi Management District, this plant was selected from the Phoenix Narcissus variety by the ancestors of the manager, Huang Zhihui. It is a sexually propagated plant. Over 140 years old, it is 4 meters tall, with a semi-open growth habit and five branches at ground level. The largest stem has a circumference of 70 cm, and the crown measures 4 x 4.5 meters. Branching density is moderate. Leaves grow obliquely upwards, with mature leaves averaging 11 cm long and 5 cm wide, and are ovate in shape. New shoots grow in three flushes annually. Spring buds sprout before Qingming Festival, and harvesting occurs 4-10 days after Guyu (Grain Rain). Buds are green and pubescent. New shoots are 10.4 cm long, bearing 3-4 leaves. Leaves are smooth, green, flat, thick, with an acuminate tip, sparse, fine, and shallow serrations (30 pairs), and 10 pairs of lateral veins. Flowering occurs from November to December.
The finished tea leaves are tightly rolled and plump, grayish-brown, with an oily sheen, and have a natural pomelo blossom aroma that is high and long-lasting; the tea liquor is bright orange-yellow; and the taste is sweet, refreshing, mellow, and resistant to multiple infusions.