Shui Xian 水仙

Shui Xian is known for having an impressively soft and broad body with a substantial downward mouthfeel. In comparison to other varietals, Shui Xian has a more subdued aroma. We taste delicate orchids in both aroma and aftertaste. Because of the age of the trees, our Shui Xian has the highly prized mossy/woodsy notes (Cong Wei) that connoisseurs seek after.

Yan Cha tea is made with only the leaves, making it one of the latest teas to be harvested each year, with Ban Yan picking time around early to mid-April and Zheng Yan early May. Our Shui Xian is made from three to five leaves in Zheng Yan terroir. Shui Xian has one of the largest and thickest leaves of all Yan Cha varietals, enabling it to withstand a more thorough roasting. After the teas are sufficiently wilted, they remain on bamboo trays for a few hours before being shaken or tumbled to manage enzyme activity. This step regulates how the water inside the leaves travels outward. The process is repeated every hour, 5-8 times throughout the evening and night until morning. Once the leaves reach the desired fermentation stage in the early morning, they undergo Sha Qing. They then go through Zuo Xing, where they are rolled into string shape. The most tedious step in all Chinese tea making is the stem-picking step, which in Yan Cha’s case takes place for several months following the rough tea making. It is a step where undesired yellow leaves (old leaves) and stems are picked out by hand. The “cleaned” tea is then roasted on very dim charcoal ash for 8–12 hours, 1-3 times depending on the varietal, to make it a finished Yan Cha.

Shui Xian is the Chinese name of Narcissus tazetta, commonly known as a daffodil in English. It is one of the most popular varietals in Wu Yi Shan and is one of the oldest and most stable varietals throughout southern China.