Batch 108 of the Eco-Cha Tea Club is an Award-Winning Dong Ding Oolong Tea that was entered in Taiwan's Lugu Farmers' Association spring 2024 competition and achieved Third Place Category award. This puts it in the top 16% of 4,776 overall entries. We chose this particular batch not only because it achieved an award in Taiwan's most prestigious Oolong Tea competition. More so because it offers a more traditional flavor profile of Dong Ding Oolong Tea, while still being within the competition standard.
By more traditional, we mean that it was significantly oxidized — more than most entries that receive higher ranking awards, and possibly the reason it was not given a higher ranking award. This is all based on the quality standard set by the the competition, however. It is not a definitive "good or bad", it's just a standard that is set. On either side of this mark is a spectrum of flavor profiles that all have their own attributes. We feel like this batch is well worth representing.
The bright orange, copper tones and luminescent transparent appearance indicate that the leaves were skillfully processed initially, as well as through their post production roasting process. The aroma is, in a word, complex. It is rich with sweet, nutty, smoky, fruity notes. The flavor profile is all of this and then accentuated with hints of pipe tobacco and leather. This is what makes Dong Ding Oolong royalty among the wide spectrum of Oolong Teas.
The dried leaves are another representation of a more traditionally made tea, in that they are not so tightly compressed. They are more naturally shaped, indicating that they were rolled and dried in a more traditional fashion. This allows for a more thorough post-oxidation during the the rolling and drying process, as well as a more uniform effect in the roasting process, since there is more surface area of the leaves exposed. All of these factors, and more, determine the final outcome of one of the most complex processing methods of all tea types. It's true that Dong Ding Oolong is a premium tea by all accounts.
Watch the tasting video for the full scoop on this top shelf Oolong Tea from Taiwan! (Editor's note: In the video we say that Batch 108 wraps up the eighth year. Ummm... we meant the ninth year!)
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