Lao Cong Qun Ti Dancong

Information

Origine: Chao Zhou, Guang Dong Province
Harvesting area : Feng Huang Town, Feng Xi Village, Zi Mao ethnic village
Plantation altitude: ~800 meters above sea level
Harvesting: Spring 2025
Average tree age: 40 yo
Vqriety: Qun Ti 
Net weight: 50gr

Qun Ti Dancong carries three names.

Originally, it was called the “火烧种 Huo Shao Zhong - Fire-Burnt Variety,” because the mother tree was once scorched in a forest fire yet miraculously sprouted anew. Perhaps that resilience is what gives its aroma a subtle warmth and vitality.

In 1958, the production team of Zi Mao Village rediscovered this mother tree and propagated a batch of saplings through cuttings, preserving the variety intact. By 1976, the 54 surviving and thriving trees were brought under centralized management, reaching the standard of a single-bush (dancong) tea. Hence, it was officially named the “Qun Ti -Cluster Variety.”

Later, people noticed that the tea naturally exudes an osmanthus fragrance, giving it the name “Gui Hua - Osmanthus Dancong.”

This Qun Ti is exactly from Zi Mao Village—home of my tea master Brother Huang’s wife’s family—where the villagers have long referred to it simply as “tQun Ti” When I first encountered this tea, this was the name I heard.

This Qun Ti is wood charcoal-roasted three times. The dry leaves are tight, straight, and glossy. The aroma is rich and sweetly roasted at first, with subtle osmanthus notes emerging on closer sniff, intertwined with honeyed sweetness and the nutty, protein-rich buttery aroma undertones. The fragrance layers unfold slowly, carrying a woody depth, exuding a luxurious fullness.

When brewed, the liquor is naturally bright orange-yellow. On the palate, the osmanthus aroma surfaces gently, the tea flows smoothly with a oily texture. The layers of fragrance are distinct, the finish long and sweet, and the Shan Yun (mountain character) pronounced. It is restrained yet full-bodied—just like the mother tree reborn from fire, quietly powerful yet graceful.

Suggestions

Yixing pairing: Pin Zi Ni, Chao Zhou teapot, Qing Shui Ni
Water temperature: 95C
Storage: Drink now, store cool and dry