A few days ago, I wrote about Da Wu Ye Dan Cong (single bush) oolong, and these eight immortals were processed by the same farmer family in Wudong Peak in Guangdong. It was a very rich oolong, with intense fruity taste (nectarine), floral notes with some sweetness and long-lasting woody notes.
There are a few stories potentially explaining the name of this tea:
1- It has an impressive flavour, and it makes you feel like you're flying in heaven's garden as in the famous Eight Immortals myth.
2- According to this source, the first Ba Xian was first planted in 1989. When a farmer grafted eight pieces of a tree from Da Wu Ye cultivar from a village to another village, it looked like "Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea" as in the ancient myth.
3- The taste of the tea is very complex, it entails eight separate aromas only connoisseurs can identify. Hence, the name eight immortals.
I am not sure which story is more plausible. But I know that even if I cannot name all 8 flavours of this tea, I could still enjoy it.
Dan Cong oolongs are at the top of my list. I am not sure what makes them so aromatic. The volcanic soil or the processing technique. Or the well-protected single bush cultivars. Whatever it is, they are exquisite and unique. Each and every one of them.
Tea Profile:
Type: Oolong
Origin: Wudong Peak, Phoenix, Guangdong
Harvest time: Spring 2020
Leaf colour: Tones of the dark brown with red edges
Liquor colour: Golden yellow
Tea aroma: Floral and fruity
Tea taste: Rich nectarine and floral notes with a slight sweetness and lingering woodiness
Steeping/brewing: Steep about 6 gr of leaves in around 85°C water and brew for up to one minute in gongfu style or up to three minutes in Western-style. You can brew the leaves only a couple of times as the taste disappear.
Shelf life: Up to 1 year (the freshest the better)