Description

Dong Ding is a famous type of Formosa (Taiwan) oolong that dates back to 1855 when, according to legend, 12 tea plants were brought back from the famous Yu Yi mountains in Fujian province, China and planted in the foothills of Dong Ding mountain near the town of Luku.

Dong Ding oolongs are typically 20-30% oxidised and only lightly baked. The final step of baking over charcoal allows the tea to develop powerful secondary flavours and is a skill which only an experienced tea maker can master.

This excellent, organically produced Dong Ding grows at a somewhat higher elevation than the original plants – 1450m above sea level in fact! This garden benefits from somewhat cooler temperatures than those at lower altitudes. The bushes grow on the slopes of the hill and are interspersed with other wild growing plants. When the sun rises in the morning the plants are bathed in warm but not too hot sunlight. As the day progresses the plants benefit from shade and it is not uncommon for the temperatures to drop and for fog to appear. Cool, dappled sunlight and damp, this tea garden provides the perfect growing conditions for oolong.

While this tea can of course be prepared “western style” in a teapot using ca. 6g tea for 500ml of water and making 1 – 4 infusions of 2 – 3 minutes each, we strongly recommend trying it gong fu style so that you can fully appreciate how the tightly rolled leaves unfold to reveal their beautiful scent and complex flavour notes.  If you do this, use the same amount of tea (ca. 6g) for 120ml of water, make a first infusion of 15 – 20 seconds, then add 5 seconds for each subsequent infusion. This should allow you to make approximately 5 – 6 infusions during which you will experience how the aroma and flavours develop with each steeping.

DE-ÖKO-006 Non-EU Agriculture

From controlled organic cultivation