Characterized by a Refreshing Floral Aroma
This tea is grown in tea gardens at an altitude of around 500 meters in Zhushan Township, near Dong Ding Mountain. It is characterized by a refreshing floral aroma and was purchased with the intention of being an everyday tea.
With a floral aroma and a refreshing taste, this tea is perfect for daily drinking due to its affordable price. For those trying Dong Ding Oolong for the first time, we recommend starting with this product.
Surrounding Tea Gardens of Dong Ding Oolong
We prioritize affordable pricing and source our tea from gardens around Dong Ding Mountain in Zhushan Township, Nantou County, the same area as Lugu Township, the birthplace of Dong Ding Oolong. This tea has a lighter body compared to the tea from Lugu.
Floral Aroma from Light Fermentation
The light fermentation process results in a tea with a distinctive floral aroma. For those new to oolong tea, this tea offers a fresh surprise. It is much more fragrant than sencha, with a floral aroma that feels like inhaling the scent of flowers.
About Dong Ding Oolong Tea
Dong Ding Oolong tea is an oolong tea made from tea leaves harvested from Dong Ding Mountain in Lugu Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. It is said that the name "Dong Ding" comes from the fact that the path up the mountain is very slippery, requiring climbers to use their toes to reach the summit.
About 150 years ago, oolong tea seeds from Wuyi, Fujian Province, China, were brought to Dong Ding Mountain for cultivation.
Economic Value with Seven Brews
When brewed in a small teapot (200-250cc), you can enjoy more than seven infusions. This means that a lightly heaped tablespoon of tea leaves can make up to a liter of tea, offering great economic value for a high-quality tea.
Relax with a Smooth, Easy-to-Drink Tea
HOJO "Dong Ding Oolong" has no bitterness and a soft mouthfeel, making it enjoyable even for those with a weak stomach who find strong tea hard to drink. It is perfect as a morning tea to wake up to, or as a tea to relax before bedtime, brewed in a slightly elegant tea set.
Cultivation Varieties and Harvesting
HOJO's Dong Ding Oolong tea is made from a variety called Qingxin Oolong. Tea made from this variety is known for its refreshing taste and elegant aroma.
As shown in the photo, the leaves are more yellow-green than blue-green and do not appear to be in perfect condition. However, these slow-growing leaves produce delicious tea.
Qingxin Oolong Garden
Qingxin Oolong Leaves Used for Dong Ding Oolong
All tea plucking is done by hand. The new shoots, along with 3-4 leaves, are plucked by hand.
Tea plucking is done in spring, summer, autumn, and winter, but the highest quality tea leaves are harvested in spring and winter. However, there is a significant difference in quality between spring tea and winter tea, and HOJO only purchases spring tea.
Pesticide Management of Dong Ding Oolong Tea
Dong Ding Oolong tea is produced in low-pesticide tea gardens that meet Japanese standards. Before purchasing, we analyze 400 types of pesticides with SGS in Taiwan to ensure they meet Japanese pesticide standards before importing.
The Manufacturing Process of Dong Ding Oolong Tea
The production of Dong Ding Oolong involves the following steps:
- Sun Withering
- Indoor Withering and Fermentation
- Rolling
Here is an explanation of each step.
Sun Withering
After harvesting, the tea leaves are spread out on the ground under the sun to wilt. This is called sun withering. It is usually done on overcast days to avoid damage to the leaves from sunlight.
On sunny days with strong sunlight, a cover is stretched several meters above the ground to soften the sunlight.
Sun withering causes the moisture in the tea leaves to evaporate, initiating a slow fermentation process. The leaves gradually become soft and begin to emit a fresh aroma.
Indoor Withering and Fermentation
The fermentation of oolong tea is significantly different from that of black tea. The sun-withered tea leaves are brought indoors and spread on sheets. For moist and fresh tea leaves, spreading them thinly speeds up the evaporation of moisture.
Next, the tea leaves are spread on bamboo sieves. This promotes fermentation, and the leaves are repeatedly lifted and dropped onto the inclined sieves, allowing them to ferment while resting.
The tea leaves are then stirred in bamboo drums. This lifting and dropping action causes the edges of the leaves to be bruised, promoting enzymatic fermentation.
Once fermentation is sufficiently advanced, the tea leaves emit a sweet, floral aroma. High-quality tea leaves processed by skilled craftsmen have edges that are distinctly red.
This indicates that only the edges of the leaves were bruised and partially fermented, distinguishing them from low-quality leaves that have uneven red discoloration.
The fermented tea leaves are then heated to deactivate the enzymes and halt fermentation. If the fermentation is not stopped promptly, it continues, resulting in a flavor closer to black tea.
The number of stirs and the resting time are determined based on the moisture content, aroma, and color of the tea leaves. This delicate timing is decided by the craftsmen's experience, which greatly influences the quality of oolong tea.
The craftsmen work under the guidance of a master. The quality of the oolong tea's aroma is greatly influenced by the skill of the master. To consistently obtain superior quality, it is essential to work with a skilled master.
Rolling
At this stage, the tea leaves already have the flavor of oolong tea. However, the cells of the leaves remain intact except for the edges, meaning the flavor and aroma are not fully extracted during brewing.
When tea leaves are subjected to high pressure rolling, as in black tea production, it results in unwanted bitterness being released into the tea. Furthermore, excessive exposure to air causes non-enzymatic oxidation, altering the flavor and aroma.
To resolve these dilemmas, the method used in oolong tea production is called "ball-rolling." This process involves wrapping the tea leaves in a cloth and then rolling them.
The tea leaves are placed in a cloth bag while still warm and soft. Each bag holds 10-20kg of tea leaves, which are then rolled into a basketball-sized ball.
Nowadays, the ends of the bag are twisted tightly by machine. This strong twisting compresses the bag, applying pressure to the tea leaves.
Next, the tea ball is placed in a device with rotating discs. The ball is sandwiched between two plates, with the upper disc stationary and the lower disc rotating. This process rolls the tea leaves while the ball rotates. After a while, the tea leaves are gently reheated.
If the tea leaves cool and harden, they become brittle and may break, so they are periodically heated to keep them soft. The tea leaves gradually become firm and are shaped into balls.
The higher the quality of the tea leaves, the tighter they are rolled, and the heavier they feel. High-quality tea leaves also have a glossy surface due to the solidified extracts released from the leaves.
This rolling process is repeated several times. The number of times and the rolling method, as well as the heating method, vary depending on the condition of the tea leaves. For example, tea leaves harvested from gardens with relatively low water and nutrient levels contain less moisture.
If these leaves are rolled in the same way, they may crack due to moisture loss or discolor due to heating.
Adjusting the conditions for each step according to the state of the tea leaves, the weather, and other factors is crucial and demonstrates the skill of the master.
The rolled tea leaves are dried in a dryer until their moisture content drops below 5%, completing the process.
