Mi Lan Xiang蜜兰香

Mi Lan Xiang is a Dan Cong oolong from Phoenix Mountains (Fenghuang Shan), Chaozhou, Guangdong. Brew it at 95°C with 7g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 10 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. A quick rinse is recommended.

Tasting notes

Wet leaf in a warmed gaiwan of Mi Lan Xiang smells like someone opened a jar of longan honey next to a flowering orchid — and that's before the first pour. It's the Dancong most people start with, and once you smell it you understand why. The first sip lands thick and sweet, with a viscous mouthfeel that coats the tongue, and the aftertaste hangs around for what feels like ten minutes after the cup is empty. Here's what nobody tells you at first: Mi Lan Xiang is brutally unforgiving on pour time. Two seconds too long and the honey turns to a grippy bitterness that locks into the sides of the tongue and poisons the rest of the session. 95°C, flash pours for the first four steeps, and pour completely — leftover liquor is over-extracted next round. Nose the lid between steeps; the dry aromatics are half the point.

Flavor profile

The most iconic Dan Cong — thick, sweet, and unmistakably orchid. Extended oxidation and traditional roasting produce a honey-forward cup with layered floral depth. Viscous mouthfeel with a lingering sweetness that lingers on the palate for hours.

Terroir

Wu Dong Shan, mid to high elevation, subtropical mountain climate

Cultivar: Bai Ye (White Leaf)

Brewing

Rinse: Brief 5-second rinse — Mi Lan Xiang opens quickly.

1. Quick rinse — pour off immediately.
2. Steep 1: 10 seconds
3. Steep 2: 10 seconds
4. Steep 3: 12 seconds
5. Steep 4: 15 seconds
6. Steep 5: 20 seconds
7. Steep 6: 25 seconds
8. Steep 7: 30 seconds
9. Steep 8: 40 seconds
10. Steep 9: 50 seconds
11. Steep 10: 60 seconds

Dan Cong demands attention: a few seconds too long and bitterness creeps in. Reward careful brewing with one of the most aromatic teas you will ever drink.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• withered
• semi-oxidized
• rolled
• roasted

Sources

• https://yunnansourcing.com/products/honey-orchid-mi-lan-xiang-dan-cong-oolong-tea
• https://verdanttea.com/mid-elevation-wu-dong-shan-honey-orchid-mi-lan-xiang-dancong
• https://meileaf.com/tea/lao-cong-milan/
• https://yunnansourcing.com/pages/brewing-guide-for-green-black-oolong-and-pu-erh-teas