Floral Old Bush Shui Xian 花香老枞水仙 (2025)
Tea Profile
Type: Wuyi Yancha (Rock Tea)
Location: Ma Tou Yan (马头岩), Wuyishan, Fujian, China
Altitude: Around 600 m
Harvest Date: May 2025
Cultivar: Shui Xian 水仙
Age of Tea Bushes: Around 60 years old (old bush, 老枞)
Roasting Level: Low-temperature roast, three rounds
The Story of This Tea
This Floral Old Bush Shui Xian comes from Ma Tou Yan, one of the recognised core cliff areas in Wuyishan. The tea garden sits deep within a narrow ravine, where sunlight reaches the bushes only for short periods each day. The soil remains consistently humid throughout the year, and the tea trees are covered with living moss, reflecting a stable and clean mountain environment.
The Shui Xian bushes here are around 60 years old. While not extreme old-growth, they already show the calm structure and composure that younger bushes cannot achieve. Because of the limited sunlight, the tea develops slightly less thickness than sunnier Ma Tou Yan old bush lots, but in return it expresses remarkable clarity, sweetness, and an elegant floral aroma.
This tea has been roasted three times at relatively low temperatures. This gentle roasting preserves the tea’s most direct expression, allowing the floral fragrance, woody undertones, and subtle mossy notes to remain clear, supported by a strong rocky foundation rather than being dominated by fire.
Aroma and Flavour
This is a floral-led Shui Xian that favours elegance over power. The aroma rises quickly from the cup, while the liquor stays clean, sweet, and precise. The rocky character is persistent and refined, making it especially appealing to those who value fragrance, sweetness, and a lingering aftertaste in Wuyi Rock Tea.
- Aroma: Orchid and wild floral notes, light wood, fresh moss
- Flavor: Clean floral sweetness, gentle woody tones, clear mineral and rocky character (岩韵 yán yùn)
- Texture: Smooth and light to medium-bodied, refined rather than heavy
- Aftertaste: Strong huigan with lingering floral sweetness and a cooling mineral finish
- Steeping Endurance: 8–10 infusions
Brewing Guidelines
Gong Fu Style
- Teaware: Porcelain gaiwan for clarity, or a Zhuni 朱泥 Yixing teapot to enhance floral warmth
- Ratio: 6–7 g per 100 ml water
- Water: 95–100°C, ideally low-TDS spring water
- Infusions: Quick rinse, then 5–8 seconds for the first infusion. Gradually increase to 10, 15, and longer steeps as the session progresses
Western Style
- Teaware: Porcelain or glass teapot
- Ratio: 3–3.5 g per 250 ml water
- Water: Around 95°C
- Steeping: 2.5–3 minutes for the first infusion. A second infusion of 3–4 minutes remains sweet and aromatic
Why Choose This Tea
This Floral Old Bush Shui Xian is a refined expression of Ma Tou Yan terroir. It focuses on fragrance, sweetness, and a long-lasting rocky aftertaste rather than sheer intensity. For those who appreciate aromatic Wuyi Rock Tea with clarity, mossy depth, and elegant yan yun, this tea is a rewarding and distinctive choice. This is not to be missed!