Special features in location, cultivation and processing
For high-quality Dong Ding oolong teas, the cultivars Qingxin or Siji (Four Seasons) are typically used.
Harvesting & Withering
The tea is hand-harvested, with the bud and the first three leaves traditionally selected for oolong tea. Compared to green tea, oolong leaves are allowed to grow slightly larger before harvesting. After picking, the leaves are withered under the sun, reducing moisture content and initiating light oxidation (fermentation). They are then moved indoors for further withering, during which they are repeatedly agitated. This movement creates tiny tears along the leaf edges, allowing cell sap to escape and react with oxygen, accelerating oxidation.
Oxidation & Rolling
At this stage, oxidation intensifies. The leaves are spread out on bamboo trays or large plastic mesh sheets in an oxidation chamber, where they begin to develop reddish-brown edges at the tear points. Once the desired oxidation level is achieved, oxidation is halted using heat in an oven ("Kill Green"). Next, the leaves are rolled in a rolling machine, breaking open the leaf structure and evenly distributing the aromatic cell sap across the surface, where it then hardens. This step also gives the tea its distinctive, tightly rolled ball shape.
Final Drying & Roasting
The tea is then oven-dried to remove residual moisture. Finally, in a last refining step, our Dong Ding Oolong undergoes a final roasting process in the oven, enhancing its depth, sweetness, and toasty character.
Single Origin
This tea comes 100% from the above-mentioned tea fields in Lugu, sourced directly from the tea farmer.
