Tillerman Tea sent me the 2018 Winter Dong Ding Laoshi last season. I saw it sell out fast before I had a chance to review it (and I generally don’t like reviewing stuff that isn’t available unless it is educational). I shared some with a local tea friend as a session closer and we were both surprised how crazy good this Dong Ding is. When the new 2019 Spring Dong Ding Laoshi arrived, I jumped at the opportunity to get some vendor samples for review.
The 2019 Spring Dong Ding Laoshi is medium-level charcoal roasted by Tillerman Tea’s Teacher (Laoshi) Chen Huan Tang. It is Qing Xin Wulong cultivar from Lugu, Nantou County Taiwan.
If I recall correctly from talking with Tillerman Tea at the PDX Tea Festival, Dong Ding has 2 roasting sessions. That’ll give you an idea of the level if you have experience with vendors who list how many times they roast an oolong.
Leaf and Steeping Method
The rolled Dong Ding leaf is fragrantly fruity.
I used 1 gram of leaf per 15ml of vessel size, gongfu steeped in boiling water.
Tasting of Tillerman Tea’s 2019 Spring Dong Ding Laoshi
First Infusion: The first infusion was quite light, which a soft rise in fruity aroma in the mouth. The texture is slick on the mouth.
Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Infusion: The second infusion is where the tea hits. I think I needed to do a longer rinse so that the first infusion wasn’t as weak.
Dong Ding Laoshi sips in richly driftwood, mineral amber, a touch toasty, and a finish of sharp salivating fruits. This tea has a thunk feeling to it, like after a healthy sip I drank a cement brick. The aftertaste is a slightly underripe pluot plum with a touch of floral as a bit of green leaf stuck to it. Dong Ding Laoshi is highly aromatic of a tea that the flavor lingers for a while. Each infusion gets more fruity than the last, as well as the build up of a more powerful aftertaste.
Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Infusion: At this point, I can taste that Dong Ding Laoshi only had a few roastings and has green in it. The Dong Ding is a touch bitter and stewy spinach, with a squeaky dryness. However, the aftertaste is in crazy town mode being really strong pluot plum. After a sip or two, I don’t notice the actual tea is bitter as the aftertaste takes over.
Ninth Infusion: I did an extended infusion of 20 minutes. Dong Ding Laoshi sips in mineral wet stones and plums, with that stone fruit aftertaste. It is sweet and soft, but despite having a slightly dry feel after sipping, but it isn’t bitter.
Comments
If you love roasted oolongs and especially something more of a lighter-medium roast, Tillerman Tea’s 2019 Spring Dong Ding Laoshi is excellent. The charcoal roast job is superb which brings out a great fruity flavor and body to the tea. More often than not, I come across lighter roasted Dong Ding as electric roast and having an immediate sharp sting of roast and less body, and this Laoshi one has none of that.
I dislike directly comparing companies, but I feel it’s needed here. Floating Leaves Tea’s 3 Roast Charcoal Dong Ding is similar quality – Tillerman Tea’s Laoshi Dong Ding is just as perfectly roasted, but much more fruity and greener due to the lighter roast. I enjoy all three teas, so if you love roasted Dong Ding you should try them all!
(tea provided for review, but also purchased)
