Dong Ding Oolong

Dong Ding oolong

Dong Ding is a medium-roasted oolong from Lugu township in Nantou, Taiwan. The name means "Frozen Summit" — it's named after the mountain where this style of tea was first grown in the mid-1800s, when a scholar brought tea cuttings from Fujian's Wuyi Mountains. Our Dong Ding comes from 700 metres altitude and has the nutty, roasted character this tea is known for, with a natural sugarcane sweetness and a clean, lingering finish.

Dong Ding sits in the middle ground between Taiwan's lighter high mountain oolongs and China's heavier Wuyi rock teas (like Big Red Robe). It's roasted enough to have warmth and body, but still has that Taiwanese smoothness. If you like your tea with a bit of toasty character but don't want anything too heavy, this is a good fit.

How to brew

Gongfu style (recommended): Use 6g in a 120ml gaiwan or Yixing teapot. Boiling water (100°C). Steep for 15 seconds for the first 4 infusions, then add 10 seconds from the fifth. Good for up to 8 rounds — the roasted notes give way to something sweeter in later steeps. A round-bellied or taller Yixing pot works well here, as the extra height helps the floral aroma develop.

Western style: Use 2g per 250ml teapot with boiling water. Steep for 3 minutes. Good for up to 3 infusions.

Tip: If you have a taller cup, use it for Dong Ding — it captures the floral aroma so you can enjoy the scent before each sip. The aroma is half the experience with this one.

Tea profile

• Taste: Seaweed aroma, nutty, sugarcane
• Type: Oolong tea (medium roasted, traditional Taiwanese)
• Origin: Lugu, Nantou, Taiwan (700m altitude)
• Oxidation: 30-40% — medium oxidized, medium roasted
• TCM Property: Neutral (平性) — balanced, suits most people
• Harvest: Autumn 2025
• Caffeine: Medium — works well as a morning tea
• Ingredients: Tea from Dong Ding Mountain, no artificial flavours or colours

Storage

Keep in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot away from light and moisture.

Pairs well with our Foshou Glazed Gaiwan or Yixing Clay Teapots. Browse our full oolong tea collection.

Joanne's note

Dong Ding is one of the teas that got me interested in gongfu brewing. The way the flavour shifts from roasty and nutty in the early steeps to sweet and almost caramel-like by the sixth or seventh — that's what makes oolong tea so interesting to me. One of our customers, told us Dong Ding has become his go-to tea during long working hours — he brews it in a gaiwan at his clinic and says it brightens his mind and helps him focus. I thought that was a good description of what this tea does.

We also hear from customers who are trying Dong Ding for the first time and notice the seaweed-like aroma with floral notes they weren't expecting. It surprises people — it's lighter and more refreshing than it looks. Our current batch is from the autumn 2024 harvest and it's drinking really well. If you're curious about oolong but not sure where to start, Dong Ding is a forgiving tea that's hard to brew badly. Available at our Salamanca Tea Bar — come try before you buy.