Dong Ding (凍頂)

archetype: Fox in the autumn forest

Sly honeyed sweetness, an autumn forest, a russet tail among the ferns.

History

Dong Ding is one of the oldest Taiwanese oolongs and effectively the founder of the whole 'island' style. In 1855 the scholar Lin Fengchi brought back from his examinations in Fujian cuttings of the qing xin (青心) bush — and from these grew the first gardens on the slope of the 'frozen peak' Dong Ding in Lugu county. The leaf is oxidised to 25–40 %, rolled into pearls, and roasted over charcoal in several passes — hence the characteristic honey-caramel note and the warm toast that distinguishes Dong Ding from the lighter high-mountain oolongs.

It is said that Lin Fengchi, walking home through the mountains, was so chilled that he could barely feel his hands. At the last pass he hid the cuttings under the flap of his robe, to warm them. Ever since, Dong Ding has kept that first human heat: the fire does not flare in it — it lies beside you, like a warm body.

Terroir

600–1000 m. weathered red laterite, rich in iron and potassium. humid mists rise from the plain up the slope each morning, the nights are cool year-round. In the neighbouring villages Shanlinxi and Linhu similar oolongs are made, but it is the leaf from the Dong Ding slope that gives the densest honey base.

Leaf

dry leaf: tight dark-olive pearls with amber edges and a clear 'baked' sheen of the roast

warmed: the warmed leaf — honey and roasted sweet potato, warm cinnamon, a faint woody smoke

after pour: after the infusion — honey molasses, warm wood, cinnamon, autumn dry leaves

taste: honey, roasted sweet potato, warm wood, cinnamon; in long infusions — dark caramel and dried fruit

finish: a long sweet tail, settling in the chest and lower back; the aftertaste holds for 30–40 minutes

Properties

TCM: warm, yang, gentle; warms the middle and the kidneys, supports the blood, dispels cold damp

Modern: rich in roasting melanoidins and natural sugars; tones gently, favourable for digestion and sleep (if drunk no later than early evening)

Cha qi: warm, settling in the chest and lower back; felt as a cosy heaviness after a long day

Caffeine: moderate (35–50 mg)

Brewing ritual

a 110 ml gaiwan or a small yixing pot; 95 °C, soft; 7 g / 110 ml. 12s — the honey note wakes, a faint roast; 10s — the peak: honey, baked sweet potato, warm wood; 12s — the autumn forest: leaves, cinnamon, warm earth; 18s — the tail: a long honey sweetness in the throat; 25s — the finale: vanilla, dried fruit, a faint echo; 40s — a warm trail — the fox has already gone.

When to drink

late day and early evening — especially at sunset. autumn and early winter. when you want comfort, when autumn sits in your chest and you don't want loud sensations. roasted sweet potato, honey, walnut, dried fruit, milky cheese, spiced pastry. a quiet evening for two; work over a text by lamplight; reading in an armchair

Tea meditation

Sit in silence. The forest will come on its own.
The first sip is not sweet at once — wait for the honey to come through.
Don't catch the fox. Let her sit beside you of her own will.

Questions and answers

How do you brew Dong Ding?

What does Dong Ding taste like?

honey, roasted sweet potato, warm wood, cinnamon; in long infusions — dark caramel and dried fruit

How much caffeine is in Dong Ding?

moderate (35–50 mg)

What are the effects of Dong Ding?

rich in roasting melanoidins and natural sugars; tones gently, favourable for digestion and sleep (if drunk no later than early evening)