Appearance: This medium roast Dong Ding is on the greener side. The tight pellets are brownish green in the middle, like boiled spinach, and lighten inwards with the stem a copperish brown.
Dry leaf aroma: fruity (peach, apricot) with a but of a charcoal overtone
Covered the bottom of gaiwan, water at 190F. 1st steep 2 mins. 2nd steep 1 min. 3rd steep 2 mins. 4th steep 3 mins.
First rinsed with boiling water for 10 seconds and discarded.
First Steep:
A light first steep. An aroma of stone fruit (peaches, nectarine, apricot) and not a whole lot of body. The leaves have opened probably 40%.
Second steep:
More full bodied. Coppery color with a more savory taste. The fruit is still there but the flavor of the roasting is much more pronounced. Noticing a light drying astringency but it is balanced. The leaves are probably open 70%.
Third steep:
Getting more of honey note on this one…like a lighter honey. A bit of a floral note as well. The roasted character of the tea remains but is less noticeable. Also getting a very small amount of a wood-sy note, like a sawed piece of lumber…i like it!
leaves have opened probably 85%.
Fourth steep:
Still going…this steep resembles the 2nd, savory with a pronounced freshness.
Take Away:
Nice tea. Not the deepest or most fragrant Dong Ding/Tun Ting I have ever had, but a nice example of a Nantou oolong. Taiwan certainly makes some of the best oolong on the planet. The price seems reasonable so give it a try.
