2019 Dong Ding Oolong Tea - Heavy Charcoal Roast

What's so special about this tea?

This is a special batch of Dong Ding tea roasted with longan charcoal, the final roasting stage of which was completed in the spring of 2025. We were fortunate enough to get hold of the last batch, which is almost sold out. The leaves are of the Qing Xin cultivar, hand-picked in Yonglong, Nantou County, one of Taiwan's most respected areas for this style.

The tea is made by a third-generation family dedicated to roasting, who have developed their own techniques, still kept as a family secret, which distinguish them from other roasters. The process requires precise control of temperature and time, along with constant stirring of the leaves, so production is always limited.

This oolong has undergone five intense roasting sessions using the family's traditional longan charcoal technique. The process took over six years to complete, beginning in the spring of 2019. This allowed the tea to rest between roasts, developing and enhancing its character and complexity. As a result, it is recognized as a strongly roasted tea with deep, persistent aromas that distinguish it from other charcoal-roasted Dong Ding teas.

The result is an oolong that initially surprises with its intense and striking aroma, featuring notes of burnt sugar, roasted coffee, wet wood, and tobacco. The brew has a deep caramel color. On the palate, it's fantastic. Its texture is thick, silky, and syrupy, revealing notes of longan juice, ripe fruit, caramel, smoky nuances, and pecans, with a sweet and lingering finish.

We recommend enjoying it in a clay teapot or gaiwan to appreciate every detail of the craftsmanship behind this tea.