Dong Ding Oolong Tea

Dong Ding Oolong is a medium oxidized, medium roast tea with a hearty, complex, and robust character. The leaves were roasted 3 times over a few weeks, beginning at 90°C and ending at 123°C. It's a subtle and skilledroast  that offers a fine balance of sweetness from the oxidation effect along with robust notes from the roasted effect.

The initial steeping brings forth a complex bouquet of roasted vegetables, pine, and a touch of smokiness. On the palate, you get roasted sweet corn, nutty/fruity notes, and a tangy, heady finish with just the right touch of astringency.

This batch of Dong Ding Oolong is representative of a traditionally made Oolong from the original source of this type of tea. It demonstrates the broad spectrum of character and flavors that can be captured by refined roasting techniques.

We are now able to source our Dong Ding Oolong Tea from our friend who makes our Traditional Dong Ding Oolong Tea. The traditional version is left unroasted, and this is a medium roast Oolong Tea. Now our customers can experience two versions of the same leaf material (although on different days and/or seasons of harvest). Both of these teas are cured in the same fashion. The only difference is the roast factor.

This tea is harvested from family plots of tea in the heart of Taiwan's Traditional Oolong Tea making region: Phoenix Village in Lugu Township. These small plots of Qing Xin Oolong surrounding our friend's traditional home and factory can be considered an heirloom strain that was planted over 30 years ago. These trees are noticeably different than Qing Xin plants propagated in the last 10-20 years.

Tea farmers in this village and throughout Lugu Township most commonly processed their crops of tea in this fashion up until 30-40 years ago. This tea existed before the name Dong Ding Oolong was popularized by the Lugu Farmers' Association. It was simply the style of tea that was made locally and gained popularity for its distinctive character. Traditionally, Dong Ding Oolong was not significantly roasted. It was simply a fairly well-oxidized Oolong Tea produced in this area. Nowadays, well oxidized Oolong as it used to be made is much less common.

The roasted factor developed as a result of tea merchants having leftover stock from the previous year or seasonal harvest. So this leftover tea would get roasted and became an alternative selection to the newly harvested crop of tea on a seasonal basis. Consumers in turn developed a taste for this roasted profile, and it gradually became an item on its own.

This ridge across from Dong Ding Mountain is home to the neighboring Yong Long and Feng Huang Villages and is known for its rich red soil which differs from other locales in Lugu. The unique flavor of Dong Ding Oolong produced here is attributed to this soil quality, along with the fact that these villages are home to the highest population of the most skilled traditional oolong tea artisans in Taiwan.

Mug: 6g tea in 300ml 100°C water. Steep for 3 minutes. Re-steep. Adjust to taste.

Cold Brew: Use 5g of tea per liter of water. Brew tea at room temperature for 2-3 hours, and enjoy. Or you can put your cold brew bottle in the fridge to brew overnight and be ready to drink the next day.

Gong Fu: 9g for a 150 ml pot. Use boiling temperature water and brew for about 50 seconds. Increase brewing time with each successive brew. The leaves can be brewed 6-8 times.