Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Tea Description:
In Taiwan Oolong Tea, Dong Ding Oolong Tea is an excellent kind highly praised by the world. Dong Ding is originally planted on Dongding Mountain, which is a branch of Phoenix Mountain, in Lugu Village, Nantou County, Taiwan. The tea is planted in the area at the altitude of 1000 meters. So this is also a High Mountain tea, which is known as its obvious floral fragrance. This Moderately-Roasted Dong Ding Oolong Tea is made of the tea leaves from Qing Xin Oolong tea tree. By roasting the tea, this Dong Ding Oolong has thick and soft leaf, smooth and brisk tea liquid. Meanwhile the strong floral fragrance makes it taste rich. This is the reason that High Mountain tea is more excellent than low altitude tea. What’s more, this brings more opportunities for tea lovers to try different flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
While I love nearly every Oolong tea that I encounter, I definitely have my favorites. Dong Ding Oolong teas are not what I typically consider “my favorite” but, I definitely enjoy them. And I really like this Superfine Taiwan Moderately-Roasted Dong Ding Oolong Tea from Teavivre.
The aroma of the dry leaf captured my interest immediately with it’s warm, roasted tones, a scent that translates into the brewed tea as well. This smells delicious and toasty, with floral notes dancing in the background.
I brewed this in my gaiwan, using short steeps and I got eight infusions of Dong Ding deliciousness! My first cup delivered a flavor that was sweet and nutty and the texture, soft and smooth. This first cup (which was a combination of the first 2 infusions) was lighter than the cups that followed, not just in flavor but also in mouthfeel.
The second cup was similar to the first, however, I noticed other flavors starting to emerge. A floral note began to reveal itself, and I liked the way this mingled with the sweet, nutty tones. Hints of fruit were distant. The texture here was a little thicker, reminiscent of a light broth.
The third cup – my personal favorite – is where the notes of flower really began to present themselves to the palate. Before, they merely hinted at their presence, but, it was this cup, the combination of infusions 5 and 6, that the toasted nut notes began to wane and the floral notes really peaked. The texture is silky, and the aftertaste is sweet. This cup also brought out some vegetative tones.
The fourth cup (and my final cup for this tea journey), was a bit lighter in flavor than the second and third cups, but still quite enjoyable. I found that the toasty notes were still present, but they were softer than they were in the first three cups. The taste was still nutty, sweet, and floral, but all flavors seemed to merge together into a seamless flavor, rather than being distinct and separate.
Another excellent tea from Teavivre!
