Product Overview
Dinggu Dafang is a kind of green tea. It was named after a monk named Dafang who lived in an ancient temple on Laozhuling Mountain during the Yuan Dynasty. He used homemade tea to entertain believers. Dafang tea is produced in villages such as Zhupu and Jinchuan Sanyang in She County, Anhui Province. Dafang tea is divided into ordinary Dafang, Qingyin Dafang and Dinggu Dafang. Dinggu Dafang is the top grade of Dafang tea. Dafang tea gardens are generally located at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters, surrounded by clouds and mist, and have excellent soil quality, which is conducive to the synthesis of amino acids, chlorophyll and aromatic substances in tea. Our Dinggu Dafang comes from the Tianmu Mountains located at the junction of Anhui and Zhejiang provinces. Its main peak is Qingliang Peak, with an altitude of 1,787 meters, the second-highest peak in East China.
The leaves are given their characteristic appearance due to careful pan-firing after an early spring harvest, generally a very short window between March and May. To achieve the particularly pleasant nutty, toasty, gentle flavor, its leaves are fired in woks over an open flame, a process which stops any oxidation and completes the chemical changes within the tea leaf to dry the leaves completely and fix flavor in—think of how old-fashioned photographic images are fixed in their final stages of development. The leaves are fired in the slightest amount of oil derived from plant and tree materials, sometimes from tea seeds themselves, which are formed into solid sticks or blocks and lightly applied to the woks during the process. Ding Gu Da Fang leaves are expertly hand-pressed against the pan during firing, resulting in the uniquely folded-flat appearance common to this mode of processing. Dinggu-style firing is practiced on other green teas, but none ever taste quite the same.
In appearance, the flattened leaves of Ding Gu Da Fang resemble those of Dragon Well as they are both flattened against the side of a scalding wok. However, the production methods of the Buddhist monk are said to have preceded and even influenced those later used for Dragon Well. Dafang tea has the typical characteristics of Anhui tea. It is mainly fresh and mellow, and the taste is not as strong as Longjing. Because it is produced in high mountains, the tea has a mountain flavor, high sweetness and good freshness.
Ding Gu Da Fang is a sweet and nutty green tea. Flat green leaves produce a light pear-colored liquor that has no astringency or dryness. It reveals a soft mouthfeel in the cup, with the oft-cited notes of chestnut and toasty, mild earthiness. At best preparation, it' has a nutty vegetal aroma and character with deep mineral notes of corn, fruits and almonds.
Brewing Guide: Given its quality, we recommend using 3 grams of leaf (round teaspoon) per 6-8 ounces of water. Steep with a water temperature of 185-195 degrees F.; steep for 2 to 2.5 minutes. Longer steep times will yield a stronger cup taste.