Traditional Charcoal Roast Dong Ding Oolong
Grown and charcoal roasted within a stone's throw of the famous Dong Ding "Lake" on the Dong Ding plateau, this is about as authentic a Dong Ding Oolong as is possible to get. Charcoal roasted at 120C for 8 hours, twice, this spring grown, mid oxidized tea is rich and deep, full of complex fruit, roast and caramel flavors. It has similarities to our electric roasted Old Master Dong Ding but has stronger and richer flavors brought on by the charcoal roasting.
The roaster of this tea is the nephew of the Old Master who makes our Old Master Dong Ding, and deserves the name Master as well. 360 days a year he roasts tea at his home on the Dong Ding plateau, checking the temperature and profile of his teas every 15 minutes, 8+ hours a day. It is an amazing sight to see, smell, and taste, and one that we will be happy to share with you once Mountain Stream Tea Tours begin again.
The Dong Ding area is steeped in tradition and has rather rigid agricultural practices. We have looked for years for an agrochemical free grown authentic Dong Ding Oolong but haven't found one. Yet. This tea is conventionally grown and we have chosen to include this tea for its authenticity. For more information, see here.
Other teas from this garden: Unroasted Traditional Dong Ding Oolong, Charcoal Heavy Roast Traditional Dong Ding Oolong, Charcoal Mid-Roast Dong Ding Oolong
Elevation: 900m
Status: Conventional
Cultivar: Qin Xin Oolong
Season: Spring, 2022
Oxidization: 35%, Light-Mid Charcoal Roast, 120C for two 8 hours sessions
Method: Hand picked, processed on site, 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!
**This tea is traditional, and strong. It is not a beginners tea. The Old Master Dongding series of teas is much more accessible for most tea drinkers. There are a few that will love this tea, but many that will not. By all means try it! But perhaps, buy a sample before you buy a lot of it ;)
