The Types
Phoenix Mountain Oolongs (鳳凰單樅, Fèng Huáng Dān Cōng, "Phoenix Single Bush") are known for their highly specific and distinctive profiles. Tea farmers and masters from this region are known for cultivating tea plants by cloning an idiosyncratic mother tree, resulting in a batch of leaves that are all genetically identical. This produces the single-genome varietals known as dān cōng 單樅 ("single bush").
Wuyi Mountain Oolongs (岩茶, Yán Chá, "Rock Tea") are known for the distinct mineral flavor of their leaves. The Wuyi Mountains are craggy, with a generally thin topsoil layer, resulting in dwarfed trees that grow slowly, concentrating minerals in their leaves. Often collectively known as Yán Chá 岩茶 ("Rock Tea"), these oolongs exhibit complex roasted flavors with nutty or caramel aromas. The Wuyi Mountains are also the origin point of the oolong technique.
Anxi County Oolongs (安溪烏龍茶, Ānxī Wūlóng Chá, "Anxi Oolong Tea") can range from floral, lightly-oxidized jade oolongs to dark, high-oxidation, charcoal-roasted varietals. This region is most famous for producing Tiě Guān Yīn, but is also home to some dynamic heirloom varietals, collectively known as the sè zhǒng 色種 ("color types"). Anxi Oolongs are characteristically rolled into little pebbles that unfurl and expand when you steep them.
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