Dong Ding Oolong凍頂烏龍

Dong Ding Oolong is a Gao Shan oolong from Lugu Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. Brew it at 95°C with 6g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 9 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. A quick rinse is recommended.

Tasting notes

Dong Ding is where Taiwanese oolong culture actually started — Lugu Township, medium elevation, medium oxidation, and crucially, a real charcoal roast. That last part matters because most of the Dong Ding on the market now is under-roasted and tastes like a confused Ali Shan. A proper one is toasty and nutty, with oatmeal-cookie warmth on top and a subtle orchid backdrop you only notice by steep three. Rinse it. The quick first pour opens the pellets and strips off any ashy char left from firing. After that, the tea is generous: nine or ten steeps, a long caramel-and-cream finish, mild smokiness on the back end. Use hotter water than you would for unroasted gao shan — 95°C — because the roast can handle it and actively needs it to bloom. Buy one that's rested at least two months after its last firing; fresh off the roaster it tastes tight and harsh. Ages well for years.

Flavor profile

Toasty and nutty with a creamy sweetness that unfolds across many steeps. The roast brings out warm baked-goods notes — oatmeal cookies, toasted almonds — while the underlying leaf retains a subtle floral backdrop. Long, satisfying finish with mild smokiness.

Terroir

Moderate elevation (~600–800m), Dong Ding Mountain, birthplace of Taiwanese oolong culture

Cultivar: Qing Xin

Brewing

Rinse: A quick rinse opens the tight ball-rolled leaves and tempers the roast. Discard — this steep can taste ashy.

1. Quick rinse — pour off immediately.
2. Steep 1: 25 seconds
3. Steep 2: 15 seconds
4. Steep 3: 15 seconds
5. Steep 4: 20 seconds
6. Steep 5: 25 seconds
7. Steep 6: 30 seconds
8. Steep 7: 35 seconds
9. Steep 8: 45 seconds
10. Steep 9: 60 seconds

Higher temperature than unroasted gao shan — the roast can handle it. Push later steeps longer; the leaf has deep reserves.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• withered
• semi-oxidized
• ball-rolled
• roasted

Sources

• https://beautifultaiwantea.com/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea
• https://beautifultaiwantea.com/products/heavy-roast-dong-ding-oolong
• https://pathofcha.com/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea
• https://meileaf.com/tea/frozen-summit-oolong/
• https://teadb.org/dong-ding/
• https://eco-cha.com/products/dong-ding-oolong-tea