Ya Shi Xiang 鸭屎香 (2026)
Tea Profile
Type: Phoenix Dan Cong Oolong 单丛乌龙
Location: Dongjiao Village 东郊, Fenghuang Mountain, Chaozhou, Guangdong
Altitude: Approx. 800 m
Harvest Date: April 18, 2026
Cultivar: Ya Shi Xiang 鸭屎香 (“Duck Shit Fragrance”)
Age of Tea Bushes: Around 40 years
Roasting Level: Lower-medium roast, two firings
The Story of This Tea
Ya Shi Xiang 鸭屎香 is one of the most distinctive and recognisable cultivars in the Phoenix Dan Cong family. Despite its playful name, it is celebrated for a remarkably elegant fragrance, combining intense florals, ripe fruit, honeyed sweetness and a clear mineral character.
The traditional story of Ya Shi Xiang traces its mother tree to the area of Xiaping Kengtou Village in Chaozhou, where tea farmer Wei Chunshi cultivated the tree in a distinctive yellow loam containing chalky mineral material. Locally, this type of earth became associated with the colourful expression “duck-shit soil.”
According to the story passed down among tea growers, villagers were fascinated by the exceptional fragrance of the tea and wanted to know what variety it was. Hoping to discourage others from taking or propagating the plant, Wei gave it the deliberately unappealing name “Ya Shi Xiang”, or “Duck Shit Fragrance.” Instead of disappearing, the name became famous and is now one of the most memorable names in Chinese tea.
The Ya Shi Xiang cultivar produces thick leaves and an intensely aromatic liquor. Its character is known for high floral fragrance accompanied by fruit and honey sweetness, with enough mineral structure underneath to prevent the tea from becoming purely perfume-like.
This 2026 harvest comes from Dongjiao Village at approximately 800 metres elevation. The bushes are around 40 years old, and the finished tea received two lower-medium roastings. The roasting develops sweetness and body while preserving the cultivar’s naturally vivid floral character, producing a balanced and elegant expression of Ya Shi Xiang.
Aroma and Flavour
The fragrance rises immediately from the warmed leaves, with intense sweet florals followed by ripe fruit and honey. Once brewed, the liquor is clear and golden, carrying the aroma directly into the mouth rather than leaving it only in the cup.
The flavour is smooth and naturally sweet, with floral intensity at the front, softer fruit and honey through the middle, and a clean mineral foundation underneath. The lower-medium roasting adds roundness and depth without masking the high fragrance for which Ya Shi Xiang is known.
Through successive infusions, the floral character remains remarkably persistent while the liquor becomes softer and increasingly integrated. Sweetness continues into the throat, leaving a long, clean and fragrant finish.
- Aroma: Intense sweet florals, ripe fruit and honey with a clean mineral note
- Flavour: Floral and naturally sweet, with fruit, honey and gentle mineral depth
- Texture: Smooth, rounded and elegant
- Aftertaste: Long-lasting floral sweetness with a clean, fragrant finish
- Steeping Endurance: 8–10 infusions with persistent aroma and sweetness
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Chaozhou red clay teapot or porcelain gaiwan
- Ratio: 7–8 g per 100 ml water
- Water: 95–100 °C, ideally soft spring water
- Infusions: Quick rinse; begin with 3–5 second infusions for the first few brews and gradually extend thereafter
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glass teapot
- Ratio: 3–4 g per 250 ml water
- Water: Around 95 °C
- Steeping: 2–3 minutes for the first infusion; resteep 2–3 times, extending the brewing time slightly with each infusion
Why Choose This Tea
Ya Shi Xiang is one of the essential fragrance types for anyone exploring Phoenix Dan Cong. Its unusual name may attract attention first, but the tea itself is defined by elegance: high floral aroma, natural fruit and honey sweetness, smooth texture and remarkable aromatic persistence.
This 2026 Dongjiao harvest comes from approximately 40-year-old bushes and has received two carefully controlled lower-medium roastings. The result preserves the cultivar’s vivid fragrance while adding enough depth and sweetness to create a balanced, satisfying liquor.
For those discovering Phoenix Dan Cong, Ya Shi Xiang offers an immediately expressive introduction to the style. For experienced drinkers, this Dongjiao version shows how careful roasting can support the cultivar’s famous fragrance without overwhelming its natural sweetness and mineral character.