- Harvest: Spring 2016
- Elevation: 950-1000 Meters
- Oxidation: 80%
- Production: Hand Oxidized, Finished Baking by Charcoal Heated Pans Twice. Roasted again in 2022.
- Farming: Traditional Farming
Wuyi Old Shui Xian 武夷老水仙, our newest tea in 2024, was harvested and processed in spring 2016, left to age, and re-roasted in 2022. Mr. Lin, the farmer who processed this tea, says he decided to keep and age this tea because 2016 was a year with such good weather for tea.
Shui Xian 水仙 is a common tea varietal from Wuyi Mountain in Fujian, China. This particular Shui Xian is cultivated from Tian Xin Yan (Sky Heart Cliff) 天心岩 in Wuyi Mountain from bushes that are about 70+ years old. In tasting this tea, we notice its sweet aroma reminiscent of cocoa powder. Compared to our Wuyi Big Red Robe, or Da Hong Pao 大紅袍, the Shui Xian mouthfeel is thicker, with the roast more integrated and consistent throughout various steepings.
As we taste the aged roasted Shui Xian with the relatively fresh Big Red Robe, we can see how the roast exists differently among the two. In Chinese, we may describe the Shui Xian as yùn wèi 韻味, meaning the tea has a smooth elegance that is more felt and internal than superficial or physically tangible. This Shui Xian has chún hòu yùn wèi 醇厚韻味 with rich depth, a quality generally more characteristic of aged teas than fresh teas.
Steeping Guidelines:
- 6g or 2Tbsp | 6 oz. @ 205˚F | 45 seconds - 1 minute
- May be re-steeped multiple times.
- Use a porcelain or yixing teapot.
- Drain completely and serve.
