Just as children may be named for the city in which they were born, so too, are teas oft named for their mountain of origin.

Dongding refers to a mountain in the Nantou area of central Taiwan known for tea cultivation, but the name has come to represent a certain style of oolong—heavier oxidation, strong roasting flavors, full-bodied, more woody less floral—rather than tea from a particular locale. Plantations on the outskirts of Taipei in northern Taiwan routinely produce Dongding as well, though it tends to be a lower quality product with tea trees growing at less than a thousand meters in elevation.

It has a thick aroma in comparison to other high mountain oolongs that can be more similar to green teas than oolongs in their freshness due to processing differences. I find the lingering scent on the bottom of the cup (杯底香) to be intoxicating, and it occurs to me that the people behind air fresheners should look into this warm and brooding fragrance.

This particular Dongding is from Nantou and is even more heavily oxidized and roasted than others that I’ve had. The floral notes are very subdued, hidden under flavors of caramelized fruit. The perfect companion on a blustery, grey day.