Ancient Tree Honey Orchid (古树蜜兰香, Gǔ Shù Mì Lán Xiāng, "Old Tree Honey Orchid") - is one of the ten original foundation cultivars or “fragrance types” of Phoenix oolong. We’ve carried ordinary honey orchid and gold thread honey orchid (a gold-pigmented variant) before but this is our first time having old tree honey orchid. The honey orchid mother tree is estimated to be 400-600 years old, with most modern plants tracing back to the tea boom of the mid 1990’s. This tea is harvested from old, high-altitude patches that are estimated to be between 100-150 years old. As with other ancient tree teas, the difference engendered by age is more about the feeling than the taste. That said, this old tree honey orchid does have a different character than ordinary honey orchid, with a sweeter, creamier profile with notes of poached apple, sweet pomelo, blackberry, pomegranate and a savory pretzel mouthfeel.
