Dong Ding Mountain

Dong Ding is a mountain in Nantou county of central Taiwan. It was the original oolong tea growing area and produces the most famous oolong tea in Taiwan.

Around 1885 the scholar Ling Fong Chi went to China to study. When he returned to his home in Lu Gu on Dong Ding mountain he brought with him 36 tea plants from Wu Li Shan as gifts for relatives who had supported his stay in China.

He gave away 32 of the plants and kept 4 for himself. All 36 plants were grown in the Lu Gu area which has an elevation of 743 meters.

Conditions proved ideal for oolong tea. The area gets morning sunshine followed by afternoon mist which produces tender and fragrant oolong tea of the highest quality.

The sweet smell of the growing tea attracts cicadas which leave a secretion on the tea leaf.  This secretion gives the finished tea a unique honey aroma. This aroma is the guarantee that the tea is organic - pesticides would keep the cicadas away.

Since the time of scholar Ling tea production on Dong Ding mountain has extended to nearby Minjian and Jhushan townships.  There are up to 5 harvests a year with the winter harvest providing the highest quality tea, closely followed by the spring harvest tea.

Dong Ding Oolong Tea

Mi Xiang oolong tea from Dong Ding mountain has a distinct honey taste. During processing the oolong tea leaves are rolled very tightly so the finished oolong tea looks like tiny balls. The colour of the leaves is dark green and they brew to a dark liquor. The tea has a sweet aroma and the taste is mellow and thick which lingers on the tongue and in the throat after drinking.