Tea Cultivar · Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
Shui Xian
- Origin
- China - Fujian (Jianyang / Wuyi)
- Primary use
- oolong, yancha
Overview
Shui Xian is the most widely planted Wuyi rock oolong cultivar and the workhorse of the yancha trade - by volume it accounts for more Wuyi oolong than any other variety. Originally selected in Jianyang County (just north of the Wuyi area) in the Qing dynasty, it has been cultivated in Wuyi proper for at least 200 years and also forms the backbone of Fujian's other major oolong style, Zhang Ping Shui Xian (a unique pressed-cake oolong).
Characteristics
A large-leafed sinensis (sometimes classified as 'small-tree' rather than bush form) with thick, dark, glossy leaves and an unusually upright trunk. Mature Shui Xian plants can grow into small trees several meters tall, especially the prized 'lao cong' (old bush) Shui Xian plants of 60+ years, whose woody root systems are believed to produce uniquely deep, mossy teas. The cultivar is hardy and productive, which is why it dominates Wuyi planting acreage.
Flavor profile
Classic roasted Shui Xian is mellow, woody, and warm - toasted nuts, dried longan, sweet camphor, light dark chocolate, and a soft floral narcissus note that gives the cultivar its name. Lao cong Shui Xian adds layers of moss, wet stone, and aged-wood depth. The body is full, the finish long and sweet, the mineral character less aggressive than Rou Gui but more enduring.
Where it grows
Fujian (Wuyi Mountains, Jianyang, Zhangping)