PXL_20251210_222511721.jpg

鴨屎香-Ya Shi Xiang

from $8.50

鴨屎香 — Ya Shi Xiang, despite its eyebrow-raising name (“Duck Shit Aroma”), is one of the most captivating and playful dancong oolong varieties from Phoenix Mountain (鳳凰山) in Guangdong. Its name is part humor, part legend, and part marketing genius—but the tea itself is anything but unpleasant. In fact, it’s celebrated for its bright, creamy aromatics and its vivacious, fruity-floral charm.

鴨屎香 — Ya Shi Xiang, despite its eyebrow-raising name (“Duck Shit Aroma”), is one of the most captivating and playful dancong oolong varieties from Phoenix Mountain (鳳凰山) in Guangdong. Its name is part humor, part legend, and part marketing genius—but the tea itself is anything but unpleasant. In fact, it’s celebrated for its bright, creamy aromatics and its vivacious, fruity-floral charm.

Size:

Aroma

Ya Shi Xiang is immediately expressive, with a fragrance that leaps from the cup:

  • Sweet, bright tropical fruit — ripe mango, lychee, even passionfruit

  • Honeyed florals — orchid, gardenia, magnolia

  • Creamy sweetness — like warm custard or vanilla bean

  • A faint fresh green note, reminiscent of sugarcane or young bamboo

The aroma feels lush and almost juicy, a signature of many high-quality dancong teas.

Flavor

The flavor is bold, lively, and layered, shifting with each infusion.

First impression

  • Bursts of orchid-like perfume

  • Nectar sweetness, smooth and high-toned

  • A touch of stone fruit—white peach, apricot, or nectarine

Mid-steeps

  • More depth emerges: honey, pear, a hint of citrus zest

  • A slight, elegant bitterness that quickly turns sweet (a dancong trademark)

Later steeps

  • Mineral clarity

  • Light woodiness

  • A lingering floral resonance that feels almost perfume-like

Overall:
Bright, sweet, and tropical, with that classic dancong “orchid perfume + fruit syrup” interplay.

Texture

Dancong teas often shine in mouthfeel, and Ya Shi Xiang is no exception:

  • Silky and bright on the tongue

  • A slight juiciness, like biting into ripe fruit

  • A clean, energetic finish

There’s a subtle “grip” in the mouth that transforms into sweetness—something dancong lovers compare to a wine’s tannins.

Aftertaste

One of its greatest strengths:

  • Long, sweet, floral echo

  • Cooling sensation spreading through the throat

  • A lingering fruit nectar feeling that persists through many minutes

The hui gan (returning sweetness) is vivid and persistent.

Character & Lore

The infamous name, “Duck Shit Aroma,” comes from a local grower who supposedly gave it an unappealing name to prevent others from stealing their prized cultivar. Ironically, the name only made it more famous.

Despite the name, the tea expresses:

  • elegance

  • bright fruitiness

  • lush, creamy florals

  • the wild, mountain-grown DNA that dancong teas are known for

It’s a tea that feels lively, youthful, and a bit mischievous.

Overall Personality

If Tie Guan Yin is spring blossoms and Jin Xuan is milk and cream, Ya Shi Xiang is a tropical garden after rainfall—lush, sweet, and radiant, with an undercurrent of wild mountain energy.