2017 Heavy charcoal roasted Dong Ding Oolong

This Dong Ding comes from a 7th generation tea family who works exclusively with Dong Ding tea, carefully producing and storing their harvests year after year. This lot is from 2017 and has been traditionally re-roasted over time using longan wood charcoal to maintain and deepen its character.

Spending time with this family is something special! We are always able to taste many years of the same tea, grown on the same mountain, from the same gardens, and processed in the same traditional way. What stands out is how different each year becomes with time. Aging and careful re-roasting shape the tea in ways that reveal depth, warmth, and individuality that can’t be rushed.

The longan charcoal roasting gives this tea a rich, warming profile with notes of fruit, earth, and gentle sweetness that evolve through multiple infusions. It has a strong, lively energy and a full presence in the body.

For brewing, use boiling water and pour immediately, keeping the kettle close to your teapot or gaiwan. This style of Dong Ding responds best to high heat, which helps the leaves fully open and express their depth.

This tea truly shines when prepared in a gaiwan or small clay pot. I like to fill the gaiwan generously with leaves by feel, though 2–3 grams in a small to medium-sized gaiwan is a great place to start. With Dong Ding teas I was taught to use boiling water, and steep the first infusion for about 45 seconds. Increase each subsequent infusion by 20–30 seconds, and you'll be rewarded with five or more flavorful steepings, each revealing a little more of the tea's character.

If you prefer brewing in a mug, use about 2 grams of tea in a strainer for an 8-ounce cup. Steep for about one minute, or longer if you enjoy a stronger brew, then simply re-steep the leaves several more times. While the experience won't be quite the same as Gong Fu brewing, you'll still enjoy a rich, satisfying cup with plenty of life left in the leaves.

If you're new to Gong Fu Cha, I've put together a free guide that walks you through the process of brewing tea in small pots over multiple infusions. You can download it here:

https://ojasnaturals.myshopify.com/products/gong-fu-tea-guide