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!