The Dong Ding Oolong tea is a well-known Taiwanese oolong that has changed significantly since its inception in the 1970s to today. When this tea began to conquer the market about forty years ago, it had high oxidation and underwent a very intense roasting process that made the leaf appear a dark brown color like that of a black tea. Today, although it comes from the same area of Taiwan around Mount Lugu, this product is usually less oxidized and roasted since the general taste today prefers a less smoky and tannic character in oolongs. Regarding the flavors of this new Dong Ding in our selection, we sought to emphasize a bit more on the roasting to achieve a deeper taste. Specifically, during the tasting, one will notice the woody flavor nuances and, only in the background, some vegetal notes characterized by a dark and balsamic tone. Compared to the other Dong Ding in our catalog, this one will have a slightly bitter aftertaste due to the roasting, revealing a production approach more similar to that of the past compared to the softer and fresher modern style. Tasting - Sight and smell: The Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan has rather tightly rolled leaves, with a shiny surface of dark green and military green color with shades of light brown and ochre corresponding to the stems. Once infused, they release floral aromas, roasted nut fruits, and slightly herbaceous and fresh on the finish. In cup, the liquor presents a straw yellow color with some rosy reflections. Tasting notes GONG FU CHA: The first infusion of Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan has sweet hints reminiscent of caramel and vanilla, followed by light but easily identifiable notes of white flowers. With the second infusion, the body of this tea becomes denser and oilier, with a milky note mixed with the floral. One can also perceive a fresh herbaceous note, completely devoid of astringency, and roasted hints of hazelnut and caramelized almond. The third infusion brings much more intense notes of white flowers, including wisteria and magnolia. The milky sweetness becomes more pronounced, and combined with the density of the body, it evokes cream and milk and honey. In the finish, a faint citrus note appears that can be felt on the sides of the tongue. TO THE WESTERNER: The first notes that are sensed at the first sip of Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan evoke a magnificent floral bouquet of wisteria, lily of the valley, and orchid. Followed by roasted hints of almond and a very slight hint of charcoal. The body is dense and almost creamy, and the taste reveals milky and buttery notes along with a hint of vanilla, reminiscent of pastry cream. No bitterness or astringency. The persistence is floral and extremely sweet, leaving a sugary sensation on the tongue and palate. Place of origin: Mount Lugu, Nantou - Taiwan. Production: After harvesting, the leaves wither in the sun for a few hours before resting on covered bamboo trays. From here, oxidation begins through a manual massage of the leaf executed by the master producer. Once the desired oxidation is reached (about 40%), the tea moves to the next phase where the leaves go into a coal-heated oven to halt the enzymatic activity and secure the product's characteristics. After this phase in the oven, the final shape of the leaf is hand-given, rolling it up so that its aromas can be preserved better. The product can now be roasted several times to change its flavor profile and, once dried, will be able to retain its rolled shape and finally be ready for consumption. Preparation: We strongly recommend infusing this tea using the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, you can use 5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different flavors. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 90°C, you can proceed to a first infusion of 15 seconds, and then, keeping the water at the same temperature, you can proceed by increasing the time by 5 seconds each time compared to the previous infusion (15 – 20 – 25 …). This tea has a longevity of about 6 infusions. For a classic preparation in the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 200 ml cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of a minute and a half. If you want to experiment with infusions with this tea with different amounts of leaves, try to consider the suitable quantity to allow the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered. By doing so, you will maximize the use of this product without hindering the extraction of flavor substances. The tea can be filtered for easier tasting, and the infusion times mentioned above are purely indicative, so you can also adjust based on your personal taste. It is recommended to store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
The Dong Ding Oolong tea is a well-known Taiwanese oolong that has changed significantly since its inception in the 1970s to today. When this tea began to conquer the market about forty years ago, it had high oxidation and underwent a very intense roasting process that made the leaf appear a dark brown color like that of a black tea. Today, although it comes from the same area of Taiwan around Mount Lugu, this product is usually less oxidized and roasted since the general taste today prefers a less smoky and tannic character in oolongs. Regarding the flavors of this new Dong Ding in our selection, we sought to emphasize a bit more on the roasting to achieve a deeper taste. Specifically, during the tasting, one will notice the woody flavor nuances and, only in the background, some vegetal notes characterized by a dark and balsamic tone. Compared to the other Dong Ding in our catalog, this one will have a slightly bitter aftertaste due to the roasting, revealing a production approach more similar to that of the past compared to the softer and fresher modern style. Tasting - Sight and smell: The Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan has rather tightly rolled leaves, with a shiny surface of dark green and military green color with shades of light brown and ochre corresponding to the stems. Once infused, they release floral aromas, roasted nut fruits, and slightly herbaceous and fresh on the finish. In cup, the liquor presents a straw yellow color with some rosy reflections. Tasting notes GONG FU CHA: The first infusion of Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan has sweet hints reminiscent of caramel and vanilla, followed by light but easily identifiable notes of white flowers. With the second infusion, the body of this tea becomes denser and oilier, with a milky note mixed with the floral. One can also perceive a fresh herbaceous note, completely devoid of astringency, and roasted hints of hazelnut and caramelized almond. The third infusion brings much more intense notes of white flowers, including wisteria and magnolia. The milky sweetness becomes more pronounced, and combined with the density of the body, it evokes cream and milk and honey. In the finish, a faint citrus note appears that can be felt on the sides of the tongue. TO THE WESTERNER: The first notes that are sensed at the first sip of Dong Ding oolong tea from Taiwan evoke a magnificent floral bouquet of wisteria, lily of the valley, and orchid. Followed by roasted hints of almond and a very slight hint of charcoal. The body is dense and almost creamy, and the taste reveals milky and buttery notes along with a hint of vanilla, reminiscent of pastry cream. No bitterness or astringency. The persistence is floral and extremely sweet, leaving a sugary sensation on the tongue and palate. Place of origin: Mount Lugu, Nantou - Taiwan. Production: After harvesting, the leaves wither in the sun for a few hours before resting on covered bamboo trays. From here, oxidation begins through a manual massage of the leaf executed by the master producer. Once the desired oxidation is reached (about 40%), the tea moves to the next phase where the leaves go into a coal-heated oven to halt the enzymatic activity and secure the product's characteristics. After this phase in the oven, the final shape of the leaf is hand-given, rolling it up so that its aromas can be preserved better. The product can now be roasted several times to change its flavor profile and, once dried, will be able to retain its rolled shape and finally be ready for consumption. Preparation: We strongly recommend infusing this tea using the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, you can use 5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) in a gaiwan of about 150 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different flavors. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 90°C, you can proceed to a first infusion of 15 seconds, and then, keeping the water at the same temperature, you can proceed by increasing the time by 5 seconds each time compared to the previous infusion (15 – 20 – 25 …). This tea has a longevity of about 6 infusions. For a classic preparation in the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves (about 2 teaspoons) in a 200 ml cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of a minute and a half. If you want to experiment with infusions with this tea with different amounts of leaves, try to consider the suitable quantity to allow the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered. By doing so, you will maximize the use of this product without hindering the extraction of flavor substances. The tea can be filtered for easier tasting, and the infusion times mentioned above are purely indicative, so you can also adjust based on your personal taste. It is recommended to store in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight.
Price VAT included
