Charcoal Dong Ding
Story
We love this tea. It is roasted by Charcoal Roast Master Zhan. Drinking his tea and learning from him inspired us to film a documentary. He is a living treasure of Taiwanese tea culture and a very wise man. The name he gave this tea is "The Twittering Mountain Spring".
When roasting Charcoal Dong Ding, Zhan finds a traditional style Dong Ding (like this one). Zhan's approach to roasting is both sensitive and spontaneous, following the natural inclinations of both the tea and the charcoal fire. This tea usually undergoes an amply heavy roast, but it is not roasted to add the superficial flavor of charcoal. The effect is that the tea is rearranged to tie up loose ends and tell a more complex story. Tea that he finishes becomes clearer, softer and deeper.
Description
As with any Charcoal Dong Ding from our teacher, this tea has a big satisfying broth. It spreads out effortlessly in the mouth, creating a refreshing mouthwatering effect, and continues expanding into the throat and body. It is clean and comforting and powerful.
The base tea for this batch is a special high quality picking, and the tea presents a deeper roundness and soft texture. The more experience I have with roasting, the more I appreciate my teacher’s masterful approach to oolong tea and charcoal fire. The roast effortlessly harnesses the vibrations of charcoal to elevate this lithe, muscular Dong Ding tea.
Facts
- Harvest Location : Dong Ding, Nantou, Taiwan
- Final Roasting Date : December, 2022
- Farming : Unsprayed
- Cultivar : Soft Stem [Ruan Zhi]