Dong Ding

Dong Ding – Oolong Tea

Origin: Taiwan

Infusion Temperature: 90-95° Celsius

Infusion Time: 2-3 minutes

Serving Size: 2-4 grams/200 ml

Dong Ding Oolong, also known as Tung Ting Oolong, is a celebrated high-mountain tea from Nantou County in central Taiwan, grown at elevations between 800 and 1,000 meters on the slopes of Mount Dong Ding. This tea embodies the harmony between Taiwanese terroir and traditional Chinese tea making wisdom, offering a beautifully balanced infusion with character, history, and refinement.

Though now iconic to Taiwan, Dong Ding’s origin traces back roughly 150 years, when tea plants and techniques were brought over from China’s Wuyi Mountains, the birthplace of renowned rock oolongs. Over time, the cultivar adapted to Taiwan’s unique mountainous climate, giving rise to what is now considered one of the most emblematic teas of the island.

This Spring harvest undergoes a light oxidation of approximately 25%, placing it in the mid-range of the oolong spectrum. What sets Dong Ding apart from the lighter Taiwanese oolongs typically oxidized around 15% is its signature charcoal roasting. After the leaves are carefully withered, rolled, and oxidized, they are gently roasted over charcoal heat, a process that enhances depth and introduces an alluring, warm amber profile with notes of baked fruit, honey, and toasted grain.

The roasting is subtle and refined, allowing the tea’s natural high-mountain freshness to coexist with deeper, caramelized tones. This duality creates a cup that is both comforting and complex-a true representation of traditional Taiwanese tea craftsmanship.

Dong Ding Oolong brews a golden amber infusion color with a smooth, rounded body. The aroma carries floral high notes and a mellow sweetness, evolving into flavors of wild honey and stone fruit, toasted nuts and light wood smoke, delicate orchid florals with a lingering, buttery finish. This tea is especially well-suited for cooler months, though its elegance makes it enjoyable year-round.

Brewing Recommendations:

• Warm your teapot or gaiwan by rinsing it with hot water, then discard the water.
• Rinse the leaves adding the tea leaves to your preheated vessel.
• Pour a small amount of hot water over the leaves, just enough to cover them.
• Immediately pour off this rinse water. This step washes the leaves and helps them start to open up.

Gong Fu Cha Traditional Infusion Chinese Method:

• Water temperature: 90-95°C
• Tea quantity: 2-4 grams for 100-200 ml of water
• Steeping time: 20-40 seconds
• For the second and following infusions, add hot water and increase the steeping time by about 10-30 seconds each time.
• Suitable for up 6 to 8 infusions, each unveiling new aromatic dimensions.

Western Style Infusion Method:

• Water temperature: 90-95°C
• Tea quantity: 2-4 grams for 200 ml of water
• Steeping time: 2-3 minutes
• Suitable for up 2 to 3 infusions, each unveiling new aromatic dimensions.

We recommend using low-mineral water to best express the tea’s floral and roasted complexity.

Dong Ding Oolong is part of our Premium Taiwanese Collection selected for its origin, integrity, and artisanal production. Handpicked during the optimal spring season, this tea exemplifies the skill and tradition of Taiwanese oolong making, bridging mountain freshness with the warmth of gentle roasting.