
Old Master Dong Ding Oolong(Spring 2023 In Stock!)
Old Master Dong Ding Oolong
(Spring 2023)
**2023 was a late, but wonderful year for this most classic of teas. The 2023 vintage is one of the best we have ever tried!**
In 2019 we expanded the 'Old Master' series with this beautiful tea and it has quickly become a classic. This year's tea is another beautiful variation on the theme of past years. Produced by an 81-year-old tea master from the main village of Dong Ding, this complex tea gives rich creamy sweetness, sweet/sour fruit, roasted caramel and more as the leaves unfold. And it will only get better with age.
We buy as much as we can of both limited productions of this beautiful tea, the Spring and Winter picks. The spring pick, much more suitable for stronger roasting, is a gorgeous mix of warm roast, complex fruit and caramel. The winter pick, with its thicker leaves and cold weather processing, is more suited for a lighter roast, which creates a flavor profile of a warm but soft roasted upfront, with an amazing lingering sweet/floral aftertaste. It is easy to tell that both are made by master hands.
This tea is one of the signature teas of Mountain Stream Teas. It is worth a try even if you don't like roasted teas. In fact, it is worth a try especially if you don't like roasted teas!
Elevation: 800m
Status: Conventional Tested Safe
Cultivar: Qin Xin Oolong
Season: April, 2023
Oxidization: 40%, Middle Roast
Method: Hand picked, processed on site, electric roasted, very small batch
Region: Dong Ding, Nantou
Recommend Brewing Style:
Gong Fu Style: 3-5g per 100ml, ~100C water, 30, 45, 60 then add 5-10 seconds steeps in gaiwan. Lasts 4-5 steeps.
Western Style: 3g per 100ml, ~100c water for 2 minutes. Lasts 2-3 steeps. Very suited to western style brewing!
Delicious tea! 5 stars 🌟 🤩 ✨️. Do recommend!
early infusions show a robust flavor bomb of floral, stone fruit, sweet corn, roast nut, silky roasted nut milk down throat. Later infusions: brought forward lemon, tangerine & white corn. *Mouth vibrancy roof of mouth
*Mouth sensation: Powdery mineral mouth feel builds into a creamy & juicy mouth smack!
*ChaQi: warming, focused energy.
*empty cup: sweet white wine.
A spectacular complex tea to sit, breathe and reflect
The roasting of tea is done masterfully. it adds just enough complexity, texture, and flavors.
I taste vanilla, cream, and caramel. and the vanilla intensifies with each steeping.
It can be steeped around 4 times.
This one can be a daily drinker for many people.
Easygoing, and relaxed. an old master's tea it is.
A nice, mellow tea. Reminds me of shredded wheat cereal, perfect for wintertime. I mostly drink pu'er and as such am not supremely qualified to comment on the tea, but I can say with certainty that Matt is fantastic. I made a small error with my order and he fixed it, no questions asked, within hours. Top tier sourcing is evident when looking at the leaves as well. I recommend Mountain Stream Teas.
This tea is dessert. Think vanilla cake. I don't love highly roasted teas, but the roast on this is gentle and perfect. I tend towards the lightly-oxidized, greener, more floral oolongs, personally, so I'd recommend this for anyone who wants to try something a little darker and richer. Will be buying again, for sure.