Handmade Dong Ding 2024

A short look is enough to appreciate that this is not a run-of-the-mill Dong Ding. The curly, strongly roasted leaves exude an artisanal quality, alluding to tradition and life-long experience. The adventurous smell of a bonfire is complemented by the surprisingly umami-forward smell of grilled vegetables, once the leaves are touched by water. These vegetal notes blend harmoniously with the charcoal roast in a liquor with a broth-like quality, creating a taste experience that is a welcome diversion from the more nutty and sweet profile of other Dong Ding Oolongs, including the 2023 version from the same producer.

Written by Sven

About the farmer and sourcing

This tea is a rare example of traditional production methods, and was not at all easy to find. The farmer Su Wenzhao is one of very few, if not the only tea master left in Dong Ding village, who is still producing Dong Ding completely by hand. Drawing on a lifetime of experience, he fires each batch of tea in the wok and rolls the leaves by hand, while the vast majority of other producers has long shifted to using machines for both steps. Su Wenzhao is as protective of his family as he is of producing Dong Ding in the traditional way, so it was not easy to convince him of taking a photo. Below the YouTube video we recorded while sourcing this tea.