The Emperor of All under Heaven once asked the wise tea master Lao Cha:
– Tell me, what happened to the seed of the tea tree from the famous Wuyi Mountain that we sent to Taiwan almost two hundred years ago?
– It did very well, your majesty. It was planted in the dense forest on the frozen summit of Dong Ding Mountain, 1000 meters above sea level. There it acquired its unmistakable fruity, honey, and caramel-like taste. You’ll feel like you are having a cookie when you drink this tea.
One exceptional Taiwanese tea is Dong Ding Oolong, and it is indeed a well-known Taiwanese favorite. Other notable names for this loose-leaf oolong tea are Tung Ting, Frozen Summit, or Frozen Peak.
Legend has it that a young student from Lugu township went to Fuzhou to attend an exam in the Qing dynasty. As he was poor, he received sponsorship from a man of the same clan called Lin Sanxian. The student offered him twelve of the thirty-six Qing Xin oolong tea seedlings he had collected from WuYi Shan while in Fujian to repay his kindness. Lin Sanxian planted those tea seedlings on the foothills of Dong Ding Mountain, bringing both the tea cultivar and the habit of tea drinking to Taiwan.
The environment where the tea grows directly correlates to the name "Frozen Summit." In fact, "Dong Ding, or "Frozen Summit", is the name of the mountain itself. There, farmers plant tea trees at 1000 meters of altitude. The tea garden gets plenty of sunshine in the mornings, but fog covers it entirely in the afternoons. High altitude, dense forest, and good soil naturally create favorable growing conditions for tea trees. Thus, the above factors result in the intense, easily recognizable oolong tea taste and the sweet aftertaste of a typical Dong Ding Oolong Tea.
Farmers produce our Dong Ding Oolong using traditional production methods. To illustrate, a classic version of Dong Ding Tea involves roasting it at a low temperature for several hours. The result is an incredibly comforting, toasty taste with multiple complex layers of flavor and aroma.
When sipping this Taiwanese tea, enjoy the sweet and fruity taste of the lightly peach-colored brew. A clear fragrance with overflowing osmanthus notes will mark a smooth entrance for this tea experience. The flavor will further transform, revealing the warming taste of freshly baked oatmeal cookies, nutty nuances, and sweet flowers going down the throat, only to return as an elusive yet unmistakable aftertaste that can last for hours ahead.
Classic Taiwanese oolongs like our Dong Ding Tea come tightly rolled into balls. We recommend choosing a teapot that gives it ample space to open and expand. Gaiwan is also quite suitable for brewing this delicious Taiwanese tea.
- Place of Origin: Dongding, Lugu Township, Nantou County, Taiwan
- Altitude: 1000m
- Harvest Date: April 2024
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Roast: Medium
- Picking Standard: One bud with one or two leaves
- Aroma: Oatmeal cookie aroma
- Taste: Sweet, roasted flavor with fruity notes. Slight caramel and honey finish.
- Cultivar: Qing Xin (aka Ruan Zhi / TRES #17)
Brewing guidelines:
205℉ / 95℃
1g per 50ml 
3-4min
1g per 20ml 10sec + 5sec for each subsequent infusion
Couldn't wait to try, amazing notes all throughout the brewing process. I have a dong ding from another supplier and the complexity is nowhere near the comparison of path of Chas. I'm drinking this before my super long day at a super hot miserable warehouse job. This is my cup of happiness. Thankyou so much, you are all wizards, absolute magic.
Thank you, Brittany!
We are happy to be able to sweeten up your day a bit:))
This is my first time buying oolong tea. I'm brewing in my Yixing Gaiwan I ordered from Path of Cha. I must say the aroma and flavor are giving me some form of childhood nostalgia. It's bringing up memories and I only wish I could put my finger on them. Flavor profile is as described. I definitely get an oatmeal like taste. As I have no experience with oolong to compare this to I must say I am well pleased and excited to try my other bags.
I ordered the winter summit Dong Ding Oolong to find out how the quality is of Path of Cha's High Mountain Oolongs were. I was quite impressed on what I found. The quality of this oolong was noticeable instantly. The tightly rolled Taiwanese style oolong, that I am accustomed to, beautifully unfurled in the gaiwan I used for its infusion. The tea provided my pallet with a woodsy and smooth vegetable taste. The more the leaves opened, the richer the taste developed. I only ordered the minimum size for this tea, but after tasting it, I would order the larger sizes now.
To me, it's giving muscat at first, it's giving oatmeal. Then with every subsequent steep, it becomes more floral. I really like this one! It's really pleasant and enjoyable.
Path of Cha's dong ding is a great representation of the tea. I highly recommend trying it both grandpa style and gongfu as both provide an interest and unique experience of this tea. Dong Ding is one of the first roasted oolongs I enjoyed and it opened up my palette to appreciate heavier roasted oolongs. This tea is absolutely worth a try.