The Lin family farm is a heritage dancong operation in the heart of the Fenghuang (i.e. Phoenix) mountains of Chaozhou, Guangdong province, China. Here, our producing partner Song Lin and his family make dancong (and experimental white/black teas) from trees spanning 40–140 years and 400–800 meters, all growing semi-wild on hills bordering a pristine river.
Dancong—"single tree", a name describing the one-cultivar nature of this oolong subtype—is a high artform in Guangdong. The elements of cultivation (tree age, elevation, soil quality) are as critical as the production methods. The Lins' gardens host ideal growing conditions for dancong trees (and a few protected groves with trees aged several hundred years), but their truest strength is in processing from raw material to finished tea. Techniques passed down from the early 20th century are alive here, with the by-hand practices of rolling, shaping, and sorting used alongside modern machinery.
This farm is everything a good dancong operation should be. Chaozhou is full of dancong makers, but only a handful coalesce ideal agricultural conditions with the old world producing methods necessary for exceptional dancong.
Song, the eldest of the family and lead producer in their facility, represents the 3rd generation of Lin dancong makers. An unrelenting focus on fragrance is apparent in his work, producing dancong standards with exceptional bouquets.
Song's operation is a true family affair. His children (and grandchildren) all participate in the gardens and in the factory, where the stringent standards of his own father and grandfather are upheld.