I was pretty happy to see this among my samples of tea to try. When I have a lot of different teas around, I tend to flit from one to another according to mood and sometimes this leads to a bunch of them getting pushed back or left behind. But it was a Dong Ding tea that really made me embarrass myself with how quickly I drank up a whole 100 gram bag. Like…it really was amazing and shameful how fast that tea went away. I must have been super hydrated.
Knowing the quality of other oolong teas that I have enjoyed from Tea Avenue, I was looking forward to trying their Dong Ding. I was not disappointed.
I made three steeps of this tea in all and I feel that I could have gotten at least one or two more. Even the third steep had a lovely golden color and rich aroma.
This is a little less roasted in flavor than my first ever Dong Ding. (It is often sold under the name Tung Ting.) This is fruitier with a hint of floral, but there is also an undercurrent of that charcoal flavor that gives a nice rasp across the tongue and leaves a hint of smoke wafting into the nostrils.
The flavor lingers well after the sip and the tongue is slightly dry, inducing me to pick up my cup and drink again and again.
Not only are the oolongs from Tea Avenue magnifique, but I would encourage you to check out their teaware. The tasting set with scent cup really enhances and broadens your tasting experience, and the teapots and cups are astonishingly affordable and really attractive. I have given a number of pieces as gifts and it is always well received.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Avenue
Description
This is it: the original Dong Ding Oolong, grown on the Dong Ding Mountain in Nantou County in central Taiwan, where Dong Ding Oolong originated. One of the best oolong teas in the world. A perpetual favorite among oolong lovers, it has a strong, clean flavor and an aroma of ripe fruit. Partially oxidized and lightly roasted, Dong Ding is an approachable tea—a good choice for oolong newbies to whet their taste buds with.
Dong Ding turns an amber color when infused and possesses a sweet, fruity flavor and aroma. Longer infusion times will yield a stronger, more vivid tea, with a fuller body and aroma. Smooth, with a clean aftertaste. Don’t blame us if you develop a Dong Ding habit.
Tea leaves are green and come curled into balls.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea from Tea Ave.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Ave.
Tea Description:
Known to some as milk oolong, around here we think of Alishan Jin Xuan as our dreamy, creamy oolong. An elegant tea with a refined, subtle taste, Alishan Jin Xuan’s fruity and floral aromas complement its smooth, milky mouth feel.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I received the amazing package that I received from Tea Ave., I was most excited about trying this Alishan Jin Xuan Oolong Tea. I mean … hello? Alishan? My FAVORITE! Of all the many different Oolong teas out there, Alishan is my favorite … especially a Jin Xuan (aka milk Oolong).
And given how much I adored the other two Oolong teas that I’ve tried from Tea Ave, I knew that I was in for an amazing treat with this Alishan Jin Xuan. So, I got out my special Alishan YiXing mug and started brewing! 
LOVELY!
I’ve had many different Alishan Oolong teas over the years, and many of them were Jin Xuan. Some were ‘flavored’ Jin Xuan where the milky notes were enhanced with added flavors. Others were not. I’m happy to say that this is one that is not. Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy a flavored Jin Xuan, but there is something just so amazingly, naturally beautiful about a pure Jin Xuan!
The creamy notes are generally more subtle in a pure Jin Xuan, but they are so soft and wonderful. I love how the creamy notes don’t inundate the palate with the flavor so that other characteristics of the tea can be explored and enjoyed. Notes of flower mingle with the notes of cream. The floral notes are not sharp. They are mild and meld beautifully with the creamy flavors. Sweet hints of fruit reveal themselves and develop as I continue to sip.
I was surprised to find that later infusions were still just as creamy as the earliest infusions. Sweet, luscious and thick on the palate. The floral notes softened in later infusions as the fruit notes emerged stronger. It’s difficult to really pinpoint the fruit flavors that I’m experiencing because the sweet notes of the fruit aren’t really present. The sweetness of this tea is more from the creamy notes – almost vanilla-esque!
But the fruit notes taste more like the fruit but not so much of the sugar sweetness of the fruit. It’s like an apricot or a peach that has had it’s sugars extracted from it, quite interesting.
A truly AMAZING Alishan Jin Xuan – this is a tea I’d recommend to all tea drinkers. Not just Oolong enthusiasts! I think that this is a tea that all tea lovers can appreciate and enjoy.
