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Have I mentioned that I harbor something of a ridiculous obsession with Dong Ding oolongs? I have? Good. Trying the Dong Ding Oolong-Heavy Roast from Beautiful Taiwan Tea Company got me craving more Dong Ding, so I just had to crack open the Dong Ding sampler tin I got from Taiwan Tea Crafts last year. After a little hesitation, this was the tea I ended up trying. All I can say is, “Wow!” In my estimation, this was a fantastic Dong Ding oolong.

I prepared this tea gongfu style. After a quick rinse, I steeped 6 grams of loose tea leaves in 4 ounces of 195 F water for 8 seconds. This infusion was chased by 15 subsequent infusions. Steep times for these infusions were as follows: 10 seconds, 12 seconds, 16 seconds, 20 seconds, 25 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 1 minute 15 seconds, 1 minute 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, and 7 minutes.

Prior to the rinse, the dry tea leaves emitted aromas of roasted peanut and cashew. The rinse brought out aromas of butter, toast, wood, vanilla, cream, and hints of something like ripe melon. The first infusion was a bit fruitier on the nose, though I still could not determine what exactly I was supposed to be picking up. In the mouth, the liquor offered notes of roasted nuts on the entry (almond, cashew, and peanut) that gave way to smooth impressions of vanilla, cantaloupe, cream, butter, wood, and toast. In the background, I detected delicate hints of coffee and cocoa. The fade was vegetal with a slightly brothy umami quality. Subsequent infusions brought out impressions of caramelized banana, grilled pineapple, toasted rice, brown sugar, coconut, and minerals. The coffee and cocoa notes were somewhat stronger. On the finish, the umami note was slightly amplified and the vague vegetal notes began to resemble a combination of damp grass, watercress, banana leaf, seaweed, and spinach. I also began to detect a slight citrusy kick just before the swallow that initially reminded me of lemon zest, but eventually morphed into more of a lemon candy note. The later infusions offered lingering notes of minerals, butter, cream, and toasted rice with some subtle nutty and vegetal undertones as well as a slight milkiness.

Extremely deep and complex, but also expertly balanced, superbly layered, and approachable, I can see why Taiwan Tea Crafts claims this as one of their signature offerings. This was easily one of the best Taiwanese oolongs I have ever had. For those of you who may not be sold on Dong Ding oolongs, give this one a try should you get the chance.