Duck Shit Fragrance

Yashixiang, or Duck Shit Fragrance, is one of the most commonly exported varietals of Dancong Oolong.  Naturally, such a name draws interest, thought the flavor profile is anything but stinky!  Since this varietal is so common, we have had exposure to many different years, seasons, grades, and styles of its production, thus our taste is rather selective.  The Yashixiang we decided on this year has all of our favorite characteristics: consistently savory, heavily fragrance without being perfume, and great source material that makes the sessions last.

This tea recieved a lighter bake than a lot of the other Duck Shit fragrances we tried this year, in fact, Mrs. Chen called it a qing or light bake.  The result is a tea that is smooth and vegetal with a lot of butter and sweet grass aroma on the dry leaves.  If you're interested how this light baked tea (qingxiang) compares to a heavily backed tea (nongxiang) then check out its sister tea, the Honey Orchid, or Milan Xiang.

Once brewed, the wet leaves exude a savory note that is intensified by the sweet fragrances found in the dry leaf.  The brew is a consistent gold that has a rich mouthfeel and coats the tongue wonderfully.  While there is plenty of sweetness in the leaves, there is no fruitiness as could be found in the Pomelo Fragrance or the Heavenly Fragrance.  The vegetal body of the tea are quickly revealed from the lightly roasted leaves, offering flavors of buttered potatoes and steamed spinach.  The empty cup keeps all the sugary sweet backed notes noticed in the dry leaves.