Roasted Dong Ding is a very famous tea produced on the island of Taiwan. Its name, which translated means "frozen top," gives us an indication of its origin: it refers to a specific mountain in the Lugu region of Nantou prefecture. Dong Ding then is a mountain oolong that is produced from tea plants imported from China more than a century ago from the Wuyi Mountains, where there is an equally thriving oolong production. This tea can present many forms once its processing is finished as it can take on slightly different oxidations, roasting or quite different stages of cooking depending on the producer's stipulations.
What we present here is a Dong Ding with an oxidation of about 20 percent that has then been well roasted, taking on a slight brown tinge reminiscent of that of the bark of a young tree.
Tasting - Sight and Smell
Organic oolong Dong Ding tea from Taiwan has rather narrowly rolled leaves that are dull brown in color with coppery and ochre undertones. Once infused, they diffuse notes of toasted hazelnut, toasted bread, burnt caramel, charcoal, coffee beans and a faint floral note into the air. The liquor in the cup is amber in color, very bright and clear.
Tasting notes
GONG FU CHA
The Oriental-style first infusion of Dong Ding organic oolong tea from Taiwan has roasted hints of hazelnut and coffee, followed by sweet and creamy notes of toffee, whipped milk and cream. Also pleasantly surprising is a hint of black bread crust. With the second brew, the roasted coffee and milky notes seem to merge into a flavor combination reminiscent of cappuccino. The sweetness is also expressed in notes of crunchy almonds, and for a moment there is a fleeting vegetal feel. With the third and subsequent infusions a peculiar wet earthy note appears, immediately followed by the sweetness of caramel. The body is of medium density, with a toasty persistence and a sugary feel that lingers on the tongue for a long time.
TO THE WEST
The first notes that are felt while drinking this tea are roasted: hazelnut, but also coffee beans and rye bread. At the heart, Dong Ding organic oolong tea from Taiwan is sweet, with hints of caramel, milk and toffee that envelop the palate with extraordinary smoothness. There is a floral note of orchid on the finish, while the persistence has toasty, milky tones.
Location of origin
Lugu, Nantou Prefecture, Taiwan
Production
After harvesting, the leaves wither in the sun for a few hours before being passed to rest on bamboo trays under cover. From here, oxidation is initiated by manual massaging of the leaf that is performed by the master producer. Given the low oxidation of this tea (about 20 percent) it will only take a short time before the tea moves on to the next stage where the leaves pass through a charcoal-heated kiln to lock in the enzymatic activity and fix the characteristics of the product. After this stage in the oven, the leaf is given its final shape by hand by rolling it on itself so that its aromas can be better preserved. The product can now undergo several rounds of roasting to change its flavor profile, and once its drying is complete, which will allow the rolled shape to remain fixed, it will be ready for consumption.
Preparation
We strongly recommend infusing Dong Ding tea in the traditional Chinese method (gong fu cha) to best enjoy these leaves. Following this preparation, 4.5 grams of leaves (about 3 teaspoons) can be used in a gaiwan of about 100 ml to obtain multiple infusions with different tastes. After a quick rinse of the leaves in water at 90°C, a first infusion of 15 seconds can be made, and after that, keeping the water at the same temperature, the time can be increased each time by 10 seconds from the previous infusion (15 - 25 - 35 ...)
This tea has a longevity of about 7 infusions.
For a classic preparation according to the Western style we recommend 2 grams of leaves (about 1 teaspoon) in a 150 ml cup with water at 90°C for an infusion time of one and a half minutes.
If you would like to try experimenting with infusions with this tea with different amounts of leaves try to think of the suitable amount to allow the leaf to expand freely in the liquid without being compressed or hindered in this. By doing so, you will make the most of this product without hindering the extraction of flavor substances.
The tea can be filtered for ease when tasting and also the infusion times given above here are meant to be purely indicative so you can also adjust according to your personal taste.
We recommend storing it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
