Da Yu Ling Oolong大禹岭烏龍
Gao Shan · Da Yu Ling, Central Mountain Range, Taiwan
Da Yu Ling Oolong is a Gao Shan oolong from Da Yu Ling, Central Mountain Range, Taiwan. Brew it at 90°C with 5g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 8 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.
Quick facts
- Origin
- Da Yu Ling, Central Mountain Range, Taiwan
- Category
- Oolong
- Cultivar
- Qing Xin
- Oxidation
- light
- Roast
- none
- Water temp
- 90°C
- Leaf ratio
- 5g / 100ml
- Infusions
- up to 8
- Rinse
- No
Tasting notes
At 2,200 meters and above, the tea trees grow so slowly that the leaves concentrate aromatic compounds most gardens can't produce at any price. That's what you pay for with Da Yu Ling, and it's the only high-mountain Taiwanese where the cliché actually holds up. The first real steep is almost perfumed — lilac, orchid, something like warm milk behind it — and the mouthfeel is silky in a way that doesn't fade for four or five infusions. Sweetness persists long after you've swallowed. Unlike most gao shan, this one forgives sloppy brewing: go 85–90°C, don't over-leaf (the pellets swell hugely), and even a slightly long steep won't turn it bitter. The real risk is the other direction — under-steeping and wondering why this collector-tier tea tastes like nothing. Give steep one a full 30 seconds. You'll pay for it either way; brew it like you meant to.
Flavor profile
Intensely floral with an almost perfumed orchid-and-lilac character that only extreme elevation produces. Silky mouthfeel, exceptional sweetness, and a clean finish with hints of mung bean and warm milk. Forgiving to brew — quality shines through even with imprecise parameters.
Terroir
Highest tea-growing elevation in Taiwan (~2200–2600m), extreme cold, persistent fog, very slow leaf growth
Cultivar: Qing Xin
Brewing
- Steep 1: 30 seconds
- Steep 2: 20 seconds
- Steep 3: 20 seconds
- Steep 4: 25 seconds
- Steep 5: 30 seconds
- Steep 6: 35 seconds
- Steep 7: 40 seconds
- Steep 8: 50 seconds
Very forgiving tea — focus on not over-steeping rather than hitting exact parameters. Lower temperature (85–90°C) preserves the delicate floral top notes.
Aroma & taste
Aroma
- orchid
- lilac
- warm milk
- honey
Taste
- floral perfume
- mung bean
- sweet cream
- lingering sweetness
Processing
- withered
- semi-oxidized
- ball-rolled
Sources
- https://beautifultaiwantea.com/blogs/beautifultaiwantea/brewing-high-mountain-oolong-from-taiwan
- https://teadb.org/da-yu-ling-104k-taiwanese-high-mountain-oolong/
- https://teadb.org/da-yu-ling-oolong/
- https://pathofcha.com/products/da-yu-ling-oolong-tea-taiwan
- https://meileaf.com/resources/pdf/mei-leaf-tea-brewing-guide.pdf