Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fong Mong Tea on eBay
Tea Description:
The hand-plucked leaves of Dong Ding Oolong are grown in the Dong Ding region of Taiwan at the elevation of 740 meters. At this elevation, the leaves absorb moisture from the surrounding fog and clouds every morning and afternoon which is ideal for Oolong plants. Due to the unique geographic location and stringent selection of leaves, this is the finest Dong Ding Oolong from the Dong Ding estate.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a fabulous Dong Ding … it is sweet with strong fruity notes. Usually with a greener style Oolong like this, I expect a strong floral note, and while there are some flowery tones to this cup, I taste more fruit than flower. Very nice.
The fruit tones taste somewhere between peach and plum. It is pleasantly sweet with hints of sour. There is a nice roasted note to the background, reminding me a bit of toasted grain. The floral note is subtle and develops as I continue to sip. The astringency toward the end is slightly dry and leaves the palate feeling clean. There are some crisp, delicate vegetative notes as well.
The first couple of infusions start out very light – touching on all of the flavors I mentioned. With subsequent infusions, I notice the vegetative tones emerging more, and the floral notes becoming more distinctive. The fruity notes of the first few infusions begin to subside, and a savory bitter tone starts to reveal itself, offering contrast to the sweet flavors of this cup.
The final infusions (I steeped this tea six times) were much more vegetative and floral than the first infusions, but they were still very tasty. I do think I preferred the fruity notes of the first couple of infusions, but, overall, it was a very pleasing experience from start to finish, and the transitions of this tea are fascinating to explore.
