Introduction: |
Dong Ding is the name of the mountain located at the center of Taiwan called Nantou. The name of Dong Ding derived from a story: the path to the peak of the mountain used to be very slippery and climbers needed to conserve their strength on their toes to hike this mountain; in Chinese that is called "Dong Jiao Jian" and thus derives the origin of the name Dong Ding.
About 150 years ago, the oolong cultivar was brought to Dong Ding Mountain from Wuyi, Fujian, China by a Nantou villager who participated in the imperial examinations held in Fujian(at that time, Taiwan is only a part of Fujian Province). Initially, the name of Dong Ding Oolong meant for the tea produced around Dong Ding Mountain. But when its fame and demand increased, ooong teas produced in other areas as well were also called Dong Ding Oolong as long as they followed the Dong Ding traditional manufacturing process. Dong Ding Oolong is oxidized anywhere from 30%-40% and then heavily baked to yield a darker roast. As a result of this oxidation and baking process, the roasty and ripe fruity aromas start to evolve. Dong ding oolong is great for those looking to transition from coffee to tea. |