Despite the curious name, this wonderfully unique tea neither tastes nor smells like duck shit. While various stories surround this name, the most likely is that the original bushes of this style grew in yellow soil, reminiscent of the muck created by duck droppings, and was then kept to discourage theft of this unique varietal.
Grown on Wudong Peak, the most prized of all the tea-growing regions of the Phoenix Mountains. The teas produced in this region (wulongs, except in rare cases) tend to be bold, floral, fruity, and foresty. It has a rich, savory, earthy aroma, with slight wood, slightly fruit, slightly smoke, floral aromatics. Its flavor is clean, savory, robust, and utterly unique, with elements of iron and musty basement. It is earthy, mellow, solid, and easygoing, with a rainwater sweetness, and floral notes that are more apparent in later brews. Fans of this tea recognize its unique flavor, but it is so unique that it is exceedingly difficult to liken it to anything else. Its texture is silky yet dry. Possessing a somewhat dry qi, this tea helps open up the sinuses, but leaves the mouth watering. Its energy feels light and uplifting, clarifying and cool. It leaves one with a floral and earthy aftertaste, reminiscent of mint and wild grasses, and a yun sweetness lingering on the tip of the tongue. Duck Shit Smell is uplifting and stimulating, helps stimulate the third eye, and trippy, drawing the energy forward and up, leaving one feeling jolly and stimulated, with a good tea-buzz.
If this tea were a person, it would wear be equally at home in a grey pinstripe suit or in a humble, linen robe. It would be popular with the people, extroverted, well-connected, useful in a pinch, and would always buy the first round.
Lasts about 6-9 brews.
(Phoenix wulongs are not traditionally brewed more than five times, but you do what you want.)
Nomenclature: The Chinese name for this tea is 鴨屎香單叢/鸭屎香单丛
鴨/鸭 - Yā - Duck.
屎 - Shǐ - Shit.
香 - Xiāng - Fragrance, aroma, smell. Most Dancong wulongs contain this character, such as Honey Orchid Fragrance, Duck Shit Fragrance, Almond Fragrance, Yellow Stick Fragrance (Huang Zhi Xiang), etc.
There are many stories behind the name of this tea, but, in truth, nobody knows the real reason for the name. Some say that the tea was named this to discourage thieves from stealing this wonderful and unique varietal. Others claim that the base of the original tea tree from which Duck Shit Smell comes was the favorite bathroom spot for the tea farmer's duck(s), and ended up producing this wonderfully unique varietal. Others say that the mother bush of this cultivar originally grew in yellow soil, reminiscent of the color of duck droppings. This name stuck, particularly as it discouraged theft.
單/单 - Dān - Single.
叢/丛 - Cóng - Bush, shrub.
The teas of the Phoenix Mountains are referred to as *Dāncóng (單叢/单丛), meaning "single bush." This is because, traditionally, the leaves from each of tea bush would be kept separate, allowing one to taste the flavor produced by one particular bush. While this is no longer standard practice in the Phoenix Mountains, the teas of this region have retained the name.
*(The "c" in Chinese is pronounced "ts.")
Price is per 50 grams/1.76 ounces