Da'an Song Zhong

We are very fortunate to be able to offer this beautiful Songzhong from Da'an Village of the legendary Wudong Mountain.

Da'an Village sits at 3,000 ft elevation, deep within the Wudong Mountains and central to an area widely regarded as the most prestigious origin for Phoenix oolongs. The name "Da'an'' means "Great Monastery," a reference to the ancient Taiping temple built here during the Qing Dynasty.

On account of the tea-appreciating Buddhist monks that inhabited Taiping, Da'an is home to the "mother trees" of many varietals of Phoenix oolongs that the monks planted around their temple. The mother tree of this varietal – Songzhong – lives here, and is now at least 400 years old.

It is understandably difficult to source tea from such a highly sought after region, especially ones made from older trees. This tea was personally sourced by Cultivate's tea mentor who has nurtured relationships in the region. In this tea, they explained to us, the unique terroir of Wudong, the impressive age of the trees, and highly skilled craftsmanship combine to create an outstanding example of the Song cultivar.

Tasting this tea, we see how these factors have synthesized into something exceptional. In the gaiwan, the leaves look like dark ropes, mottled in colour from their bruising, and slick and strong like arame seaweed. The tea is intensely aromatic - floral, fruity, and slightly smoky - with savoury, saline undertones difficult to name. Its liquor is smooth and thick, coating your mouth and throat with a sweetness that lingers long after it is swallowed. We find wild mountain flowers and pomelo in this tea, woven through a dense, rocky foundation. It leaves us feeling very awakened, not to mention grateful for the experience of tasting it.