Oolong Dong Ding Tea is a rather well-known type of Taiwanese oolong that has changed significantly since its beginnings in the 1980s to today. When this tea first began to conquer the market about forty years ago, it had a high oxidation and underwent a very intense roasting process that made the leaves appear a dark brown color similar to that of a red tea. Nowadays, although it originates from the same area of Taiwan around Mount Lugu, this product is usually less oxidized and roasted. In fact, the general taste today prefers a less smoky and tannic character in oolongs. As for the flavors of this new Dong Ding in our selection, we aimed more for the roasting to achieve a deeper taste. In particular, during tasting, you will thus 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 slight bitter note in the aftertaste due to the roasting, which reveals a production approach more similar to that of the past compared to the modern style, which is softer and fresher. The Taiwanese Dong Ding oolong tea has rather tight rolled leaves, with a shiny dark green and military green surface with shades of light brown and ochre at the stems. Once infused, they release floral aromas, roasted nut, and slightly herbaceous and fresh on the finish. In the cup, the liquor presents a straw-yellow color with slight rosy reflections. The first infusion of Oolong Dong Ding Tea from Taiwan has sweet notes that evoke caramel and vanilla, followed by light but easily identifiable notes of white flowers. It is with the second infusion that the body of this tea becomes denser and oilier, with a milky note mixed with floral. A fresh herbaceous note can also be felt, completely free of astringency, and roasted hints of hazelnut and caramelized almond. The third infusion brings much more intense white flower notes, including wisteria and magnolia. The milky sweetness becomes more pronounced and, combined with the density of the body, evokes cream, milk, and honey. In the finish, a very slight citrus note appears, felt on the sides of the tongue. The first notes that are noticed at the first sip of Oolong Dong Ding 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 nor astringency. The persistence is floral and extremely sweet, leaving a sugary sensation on the tongue and palate. Place of origin: Mount Lugu, Nantou - Taiwan. After harvesting, the leaves wither in the sun for a few hours before resting on covered bamboo trays. From here, oxidation begins with a manual massage of the leaf, performed by the master producer. Once the desired oxidation (about 40%) is reached, the tea moves on to the next phase, where the leaves go into a coal-heated oven to stop the enzymatic activity and fix the characteristics of the product. After this phase in the oven, the final shape is given to the leaf by hand, rolling it up on itself to better preserve its aromas. The product can now be roasted several times to change its flavor profile, and once dried, it will be able to maintain its rolled shape and finally be ready for consumption. We strongly recommend infusing this tea in 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 more 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 thereafter, maintaining the water at the same temperature, you can proceed 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 according to 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 one and a half minutes. If you want to experiment with infusions of this tea with different quantities of leaves, try to think about the suitable amount that allows the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered in this. By doing so, you will maximize this product without hindering the extraction of the flavor substances. The tea can be filtered for easier tasting, and the infusion times indicated above are meant purely as guidelines, so you can adjust them according to your personal taste. It is recommended to store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
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Oolong Dong Ding Tea is a rather well-known type of Taiwanese oolong that has changed significantly since its beginnings in the 1980s to today. When this tea first began to conquer the market about forty years ago, it had a high oxidation and underwent a very intense roasting process that made the leaves appear a dark brown color similar to that of a red tea. Nowadays, although it originates from the same area of Taiwan around Mount Lugu, this product is usually less oxidized and roasted. In fact, the general taste today prefers a less smoky and tannic character in oolongs. As for the flavors of this new Dong Ding in our selection, we aimed more for the roasting to achieve a deeper taste. In particular, during tasting, you will thus 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 slight bitter note in the aftertaste due to the roasting, which reveals a production approach more similar to that of the past compared to the modern style, which is softer and fresher. The Taiwanese Dong Ding oolong tea has rather tight rolled leaves, with a shiny dark green and military green surface with shades of light brown and ochre at the stems. Once infused, they release floral aromas, roasted nut, and slightly herbaceous and fresh on the finish. In the cup, the liquor presents a straw-yellow color with slight rosy reflections. The first infusion of Oolong Dong Ding Tea from Taiwan has sweet notes that evoke caramel and vanilla, followed by light but easily identifiable notes of white flowers. It is with the second infusion that the body of this tea becomes denser and oilier, with a milky note mixed with floral. A fresh herbaceous note can also be felt, completely free of astringency, and roasted hints of hazelnut and caramelized almond. The third infusion brings much more intense white flower notes, including wisteria and magnolia. The milky sweetness becomes more pronounced and, combined with the density of the body, evokes cream, milk, and honey. In the finish, a very slight citrus note appears, felt on the sides of the tongue. The first notes that are noticed at the first sip of Oolong Dong Ding 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 nor astringency. The persistence is floral and extremely sweet, leaving a sugary sensation on the tongue and palate. Place of origin: Mount Lugu, Nantou - Taiwan. After harvesting, the leaves wither in the sun for a few hours before resting on covered bamboo trays. From here, oxidation begins with a manual massage of the leaf, performed by the master producer. Once the desired oxidation (about 40%) is reached, the tea moves on to the next phase, where the leaves go into a coal-heated oven to stop the enzymatic activity and fix the characteristics of the product. After this phase in the oven, the final shape is given to the leaf by hand, rolling it up on itself to better preserve its aromas. The product can now be roasted several times to change its flavor profile, and once dried, it will be able to maintain its rolled shape and finally be ready for consumption. We strongly recommend infusing this tea in 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 more 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 thereafter, maintaining the water at the same temperature, you can proceed 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 according to 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 one and a half minutes. If you want to experiment with infusions of this tea with different quantities of leaves, try to think about the suitable amount that allows the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered in this. By doing so, you will maximize this product without hindering the extraction of the flavor substances. The tea can be filtered for easier tasting, and the infusion times indicated above are meant purely as guidelines, so you can adjust them according to your personal taste. It is recommended to store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
