Off to Phoenix Mountain in a week or so, and hoping that the rain gods have mercy on the harvest this year, I am hoping to be able to procure another batch of that sublime Phoenix Ya Sai oolong, which literally means Duck Poop in the local dialect. The fact that the family who owns the tree complained that neighbors have been stealing clippings to plant in their own gardens for decades, if not…
Can you spell plagiarism…
Yes, you who lifted content from my blog about the Ya Sai Phoenix tea and caused an article in Forbes.com with the title ‘Duck Shit tea takes the world by storm’….please, if you are going to lift my content, don’t insult the tea artisans by posting a completely different tea. The tea you posted is nothing remotely from the region of Phoenix. You, a tea purveyor, at least know you posted a rolled…
It’s all in the hands. Mr. Wei says that rough, large hands with…
It’s all in the hands. Mr. Wei says that rough, large hands with crude hand motions will not make nuanced, elegant tea. The secret to his superior quality lies in his ability to sensitively drive all the astringency out of the leaves in its initial withering and tumbling- fluffing, as he calls it. Takes 5-6 hours repeatedly to fluff the leaves, bring the aromas up to the surface, remove the bitter juices, all by touch. One taste of his tea in comparison to other artisans at the same village and you’ll be convinced.
This year’s Ya Sai, or Duck Poop Phoenix Oolong made by Mr. Wei, is an aficionado’s dream. Any oolong fan must put this on the bucket list.
The name Ya Sai, or Duck Poop, has to be the best name in the…
The name Ya Sai, or Duck Poop, has to be the best name in the history of tea. Mr. Wei says their tree was constantly being clipped by fellow villagers once upon a time centuries ago, because the fragrance of its leaves was superior above all other Phoenix tea varietals. The family thought of a clever idea: they named their tree ‘Duck Poop ’ after the multitudes of ducks resting beneathe the tree. Other villagers, in hearing this gross out name, stopped coming around to steal the tea branches. It is the greatest reverse marketing idea ever thought of.
I think it’s a great name. The tea, with its deprecatingly down to earth name, was anything but- superbly elegant in its mango peel and ripe apple flower aroma, light yet memorable front notes on the palate of almonds and honey water, a salivating middle, and a long lingering finish. Not a trace of astringency. It is nothing short of heavenly levels, attributed to not only the trees themselves, but Mr. Wei’s expert handiwork. After all, a Rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, and Duck Poop oolong is one such example.
The tea gods are once again blessing me with undeserved grace. I…
The tea gods are once again blessing me with undeserved grace. I arrive atop Phoenix Mountain, Wudong Peak at 1400 meters, in one of the best days of harvest, in one of the best years’ crops ever. Hot sun and cool breeze sway the brilliant green beak like leaf sprouts. The tea I am here for: Duck Poop Oolong,made by the best of the best, Mr. Wei.
Arrived into Shantou, the city of Phoenix Mountain, one of my…
Arrived into Shantou, the city of Phoenix Mountain, one of my favorite, and oldest, tea cultures in the world. Inhabited by centuries old arbor type camellia sinensis trees, these are some formidable teas.
Pictured here: Mid mountain 700 meter Ya Sai, or Duck Poop Phoenix Oolong. Only the locals drink this tea and not everyone can afford the peak mountain old trees. But where there is demand, there is a way- the ducks didn’t migrate, the branches of the original trees did, midway down the mountain for faster growth and more yield. Last year, we got the Duck Poop Phoenix from the 1400 meter high, original trees of course. It’s not the same without the ducks!