Tea Tip from In Pursuit of Tea:

Few Taiwanese teas command the same degree of respect around the world as Tung Ting oolongs. Over it’s century long history, Tung Ting has developed into one of Taiwan’s two signature teas. These two teas are locally known as Jie Mei Cha (Sister Teas). The second sister is Wen Shan Bao Jong from northern Taiwan.

Tung Ting Mountain (hence the name) is located in the middle of the single largest tea producing region in Taiwan, Nantou County. Responsible for over 40% of the island’s tea production, Nantou’s unique terrain and climate is perfectly suited for oolongs.

The origin of Tung Ting oolong, according to local folklore, began in 1855. A villager named Ling Fong Tse went to the renowned Wu-yi Mountains in Fujian, China and came back with thirty-six tea trees of the ching-shing varietal. He gave twelve of these trees as a gift to a tea farmer friend - Ling San Yen who had helped finance his trip. These twelve trees were subsequently planted along the mountain roads surrounding the beautiful Chi-Ling Lake near Luku and the rest, as they say, is history.

This June we acquired a small lot of competition grade Tung Ting. In honor of Ling Fong Tse and Ling San Yen, we have named this tea Twelve Trees oolong. It is completely hand crafted from this spring’s crop. After oxidizing and initially firing these leaves, the farmer then spent four additional days shaping and finishing the leaves (tsai-rou (repeat rolling/kneading), tsai-pei (repeat firing) and ding-shing (shaping). With an oxidation level of approximately 35%, this tea is categorized as a light medium oxidized tea.

As you enjoy Twelve Trees take note of the following:

• The dry leaves: A rich dark green, locally described as wa-ching (Toad Green). A light refreshing brown sugary scent.

• The steeped leaves: A much more intense nut and caramel sweetness.

• The liquor: Rich, pure golden yellow, with crisp, complex full-bodied flavors - again nutty and sweet.

• The finish: Smooth, no astringency with lingering walnut notes

• The empty cup, after enjoying the tea: The most amazing sweetness you’ve ever smelled from an empty cup!

For those of you familiar with gung-fu style brewing, this is a great tea to explore. Gung-fu means skill and patience, and involves making tea in a small clay pot (Yixing). A relatively large amount of tea is used in the small pot for repeated short steeps. Good quality oolong such as Twelve Trees will still have flavor after many infusions. The aroma and flavor notes of this tea are incredible.

Past Tea Tips:
Tie Guanyin Oolong Tea
Jasmine Pearls
Darjeeling
Freshness Storage, and Packaging
Sound of Tea
Ceylon
Tieguanyin Oolong Tea
Why Pair Tea with Food?
Tea Classification
White Teas
Display Teas
For more information on drinks and beverages, read Charmaine Solomon's article on well-known drinks you may encounter in Asian travels or upon inspection of the refrigerator section of your local Asian grocer.