Product Overview
It's one of the most popular Taiwanese teas. It’s a classic for good reason: Dong Ding Oolong is a tea that retains the mellow green flavors of a high-mountain oolong along with rich, sweet notes due to oxidation and roasting. It’s well-balanced and makes a perfect tea to enjoy throughout the day.
Generally speaking, these more oxidized teas will last for more infusions than their green cousins. A green oolong starts getting grassy around the fourth or fifth steep, but you can push many moderately oxidized oolongs—especially the roasted ones—to twice that number of steepings easily. Roasted Oolong Tea undergoes post-production "curing" of the leaves and typically is roasted or baked at low temperatures for long intervals. This lightly Roasted tea has undergone 1-2 intervals of being baked for several hours at low temperature. This transforms the character of the tea from fresh green to a mellowed, more full-bodied brew.
Produced in the Nantou region of Taiwan, this Dong Ding Oolong is manufactured only by tea trees that grow above the altitude of 1200m. The tea leaves are dark green and are rolled into small pearls.
A hint of flowers or peachy sweetness should be detectable through the toasted nose. This tea has been given a little more charcoal roasting bringing out a more robust, caramelized taste. The leaves deliver an amber-colored liquor carrying a deep flavor and woody, fruity and honey-like aroma. While the tea has a lovely honey-sweet lingering taste, the tea remains clear and clean. It has a complex aroma, with notes of candied nuts and stewed fruit, as well as its sweet, toasty flavor. Great as an evening drink and with or after food.
Brewing Guide: We highly recommend brewing Dong Ding Oolong gongfu style to appreciate its many layers of flavor. Dong Ding oolong may be prepared in a regular teapot, an Yixing clay pot, or in individual cups. Use about 1 tsp. per cup (8 oz.) of water heated to 80-90°C (176-194°F). Infuse for 2-3 minutes and pour off.