Dong Ding Oolong Tea belongs to the Oolong tea category, which is a semi-fermented tea positioned between green tea and black tea. As one of Taiwan’s most treasured teas, Dong Ding Oolong represents the pinnacle of Taiwan’s traditional Oolong tea-making craftsmanship.
The Processing Characteristics of Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is crafted through a distinctive semi-fermentation process, involving multiple complex steps such as withering, fermentation, fixation (kill-green), rolling, and drying. Dong Ding Oolong in particular adopts the traditional medium-fermentation method, with a relatively deeper degree of fermentation. This ensures a more stable composition of inner substances during processing.
During indoor withering, intermittent tossing allows the leaf edges to oxidize and turn reddish, forming the characteristic “green leaf with red edges” appearance while releasing a floral fragrance. Moderate rolling preserves the integrity of the leaves, ensuring both the effective release of compounds and the stability of the tea structure.
Distinction from Other Tea Types
Compared with fully fermented black tea or unfermented green tea, Dong Ding Oolong’s semi-fermentation gives it unique qualities. Its soluble content—including polyphenols, caffeine, amino acids, and more—reaches 35.85%, significantly higher than that of most teas.
These soluble substances are not released all at once. Instead, they dissolve gradually according to molecular size and solubility during different brewing stages, giving Dong Ding Oolong exceptional steeping endurance. It can be brewed eight or more times, with each infusion maintaining around a 24% stable extraction rate.
A Representative of Taiwanese Oolong Tea
Dong Ding Oolong originates from Dong Ding Mountain in Zhangya Village, Lugu Township, Nantou County, at an altitude of about 600 meters. It can be harvested in five seasons annually: spring, summer, autumn, winter, and late winter. Among these, spring and winter teas are considered the finest. Over time, its tea cultivation has expanded from the mountain’s initial 40 hectares to more than 1,600 hectares across 13 villages.
As a classic representative of Taiwanese Oolong, Dong Ding offers a layered tasting experience: from the fresh fragrance of the first infusion, to the mellow sweetness in mid-steeps, and finally to the lingering aftertaste. Each stage showcases the refinement of Oolong’s semi-fermentation artistry.
