Salt of the Earth Dong Ding
A fun, rustic take on traditional Dong Ding oolong with a toasty depth, up front fruitiness and tannic grunt that provides a full body.
Since I've taken over roasting the Traditional A, I've not been able to stop myself from experimenting with the roast in an attempt to get the most out of each individual tea. However, I've come to miss the rustic taste of the old Traditional A that Mrs. Su the tea farmer used to make for us. So this tea is a return to the roots, which I've dedicated to Mrs. Su with the name Salt of the Earth, as she really was. Incredibly humble and with a deep wisdom from living close to nature for her whole life.
In this tea I do my best to re-create her roasting style as she taught it to me back in 2021. I've also chosen different material than I would use for our Traditional A. Although still from the Su family's gardens, this base lends itself better to the bold, up front style of this roast.
The aroma is rich and toasty with a grainy sweetness that backs up the ineffable Dong Ding fruit note that really defines the mountain. Full bodied broth is big with a bitter backbone that evolves into a nice 'Hui Gan' (returning sweetness) in the back of the mouth. Big throaty aftertaste.
A bit rough around the edges, and plenty of personality! This is a good natured, up front kind of tea.
Facts
- Harvest Location : Dong Ding, Nantou, Taiwan
- Roast Date : 2025 March
- Cultivar : Soft Stem [Ruan Zhi Wu Long]
- Farming : From a garden regularly tested by SGS as having 0% pesticide residues
Podcast Episode