A Dong Ding region Oolong like the tea in these pictures requires several pairs of hand to process the leaves: the pickers, the makers and the roaster. The making is often split in 2 teams: one team for the withering and one for shaking, kill green and rolling.
Each element and each hand plays its part like a piece of fabric in a quilt. The soil of Taiwan is the product of tectonic collision of the Philippine Sea Plate with the Eurasian Plate some 5 million years ago. This has created Dong Ding's intermediate location at 500-750 meters between the western plain and the central mountain range, slightly acidic soils and the Qilin pond that brings freshness to the nearby tea fields in the afternoon.
The subtropical climate brings sufficient warmth and moisture for the tea leaves to grow well each spring. Each year, there are variations to the climate, sometimes cooler, warmer, drier...
Caught between the seemingly immovable soil and the capricious weather, each tea maker relies on the long traditions of Dong Ding, his experience and his skills. Before the harvest, he has to check the growth of his leaves and the weather forecast to decide when to pick the leaves. During the harvest, he has to instruct the pickers how many leaves to pick, check that they respect his instructions, monitor sudden weather changes. This also means that the leaves picked in the morning contain a little bit more moisture than around noon and that in the afternoon, if clouds form over the region, then the moisture level could increase again.
In the factory, each step is crucial to the making of good Oolong tea. The tea maker oversees a team of skilled craftsmen. His goal is to create harmonious aromas through the combination of all these processes and their skills. The leaves that arrive every hour or two are never exactly the same, like in quilt.
What makes this Dong Ding Oolong special is the charcoal roast it received 3 months later. The farmer waited for a quiet time, so that he would be fully focused on his task. This additional process enhances the character of the aromas and manages to bring refinement and harmony to the taste. Some see in the white charcoal ashes a dying craft. I see charcoal roasting as a phoenix rising majestically in our cups. It is more that just a finishing touch to Dong Ding Oolong. It creates its lasting mouthfeel and prepares the leaves for aging. It turns a young, fresh Oolong tea into a legend connected to a glorious past and a memorable future.
The original Dong Ding 'Kuei', the Dong Ding taste, is much more than just a lingering nutty taste with a sweet undertone. The tea brewer has lots of dimensions to play with. He's also trying to harmonize the interactions between the water, the kettle, the teapot, the cups and the aesthetics of his display (aka Chaxi).
Each cup will be a little bit different.
Now, I wonder if this picture taken in May has influenced my Dong Ding Chaxi of this spring charcoal roasted Oolong from Yong Lung?...
See the complete video from Dong Ding if you haven't seen it yet.
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