Wild Forest Phoenix Secret Realm Lightly roasted Dong Ding- 30 grams

Shin Cheng Farm — Wild Forest Phoenix Secret Realm

Their Wild Forest Phoenix Secret Realm garden is about 40 years old, tended in a natural, organic way. The trees grow larger, everything is hand-picked, and the whole place feels like a wild tea forest. The teas from this land are rare, hard to replicate, and crafted from multiple cultivars — Qingxin Oolong, Da Ye Oolong, Ruanzhi Oolong, Jin Xuan Oolong, and Phoenix Native Camellia — giving them depth and a distinctive character.

This lightly roasted Dong Ding is bright, balanced, and easy to drink all day. Dong Ding Oolong is know for its deep charcoal roast but in the recent past a lot of Dong Ding producers have been doing light roasts for those who gravitate towards the more floral undertones and that high mountain oolong vibe. This tea goes even farther as it is a blend of 5 different tea varieties making a Dong Ding tea unlike any other.

Brewing

I really like this tea brewed Gong Fu style in a gaiwan or small clay pot. I usually just add leaves by feel, but around 2 to 3 grams in a small to medium gaiwan is a good place to start.

With Dong Ding, I was taught in Taiwan to use boiling water. I usually let the first infusion go for around 45 seconds and then add another 20 to 30 seconds with each steep. You should easily get five or more good infusions from the leaves.

If you’re brewing in a mug, use around 2 grams of tea in a strainer for an 8 ounce cup. Steep for about a minute, or longer if you like it stronger, and then keep resteeping the leaves. You won’t get quite the same experience as brewing Gong Fu style, but you’ll still get a great cup of tea.

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

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