Sean GilliesFeb 26

Today I've opened my Chinese oolong sampler and am brewing some Ya Shi Xiang Dan Cong from Ping Keng Tou Village in the Phoenix Mountains of Guangdong Province. The "King of Duck Shit Aroma" is a absurd name for a carefully cultivated style of tea.

Producers credit the qualities of this tea to their uniquely yellow-brown soil. Its aroma is honey and lychee, not duck shit. The dry leaves have a lovely dank, hoppy smell. #MastOolong #teastodon

Show threadEldan GoldenbergFeb 27
@sgillies Ooh, I have a pot of dan cong on the go right now, and it's one of my favourites. Have you heard the lore about why it's called "duck shit aroma"?
Show threadSean GilliesFeb 27
@eldang I've read several versions of the lore. The village has been making single-bush tea for a few hundred years, right? I imagine that the story has evolved a bit over time.
Show threadEldan Goldenberg
@sgillies That does seem very likely, to be fair. I have the impression (but who knows how well sourced) that the name is much newer than the tea or its reputation.
Feb 28 at 12:32amWeb