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Formosa Aged Dongding Oolong
凍頂老茶
TN1401
Formosa Aged Dongding 2004
Origin: Lugu, Nantou,Taiwan 鹿谷‧南投‧台灣
Style: Medium fermented Oolong, full bodied, fruity aroma
Loose leaf style: Half ball Dongding oolong style
Loose leaf color: Brown
Wet leaf style: Dark Brown
Tea color: Crimson
Formosa Aged Dongding Oolong 2004 is the best choice for entry level aged oolongs. Aged oolong is re-roasted every few years, and stored in clay pots to enhance aging. This aging process produces the unique ripe fruit and roasted rice aromas. It is mild in caffeine and smooth for your stomach.
How to store aged oolong? It's just as easy as "let it sit there and age more", away from light, moisture, and odor. It is not necessary to keep in air-tight container, because it helps aging if the tea is exposed to some air. It's a good idea to keep it in a clay caddr, and store in a nice, dry, dark space.
Brewing:
For most of the half ball style Oolong tea, the best water temperature is "just boiled and cools a little". You can start with 1 tsp for 120cc(4oz) 95C(203F) water, steam about 1 min for the first brew to unroll the leaves. 30-40 seconds for the second infusion, and add 20 seconds for the following infusions. Provides at least 5 infusions, up to 9 infusions.
The tea leaves need to be fully expanded in the container, remember not to put too much loose tea to avoid over packed. One tip to keep in mind is the amount of dry loose tea should be around 1/5 or smaller of the teaware or container, after brewing, the tea leaves will expand to 80%-90% of the container. Once you get familiar with the tea, you may explore your own brewing method.
Teaware:
Gongfu teaware or Yixing pots suit best for Oolong tea, glassware, Gaiwan, or porcelain teaware are also good personal choices.
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REVIEW BY: Andy B Reviewed
22 November 2008 |
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I just finished my third gongu fu session with this fine tea, my second from Fionna's fine selection of oolongs. As with the Nostalgia Dong Ding, I am a happy tea drinker. Those two along with the Alishan Traditional from Shiuwen's Floating Leaves Tea in Seattle form my current rotation of the good stuff.
It starts out with the rich, full bodied, smokey, tobacco-honey-chocolate taste of a good pu-er. It has a nice mouth feel and a nicely balancing, light astringency in the beginning. It then finishes with a more mellowed, matured, ripened tropical floral fruit quality I taste in a good dong ding. The liquor from the third infusion forward is a lush caramel ruby. Superb. I drink a lot of tea from a lot of different places and this is some of the best.
The Pacific Northwest is nourishing me with tea goodness these days.
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REVIEW BY: tany Reviewed
07 February 2008 |
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This tea is so smooth and complex, my family enjoy it a lot.
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