Less tart and up-front than the 2019 in its aroma, this tea has a sweet fragrance that opens up more gently than the 2019 harvest. While it is still a subtle tea, this Shuixian Bai has a far fuller body than the 2019 harvest, with a rounded earthy body that is rich without being heavy.
Pesticide-free and naturally grown in Jianyang, south of the Wuyi Mountains, by teamasters Wu Hua and Hu Ailan. This tea is a mixture of fuzz-covered inner bud leaves and outer leaves, making it a type of Bai Mudan (White Peony). What makes it particularly unique is the bushes from which it is made. Shuixian, or Water Immortal in English, is sometimes translated as narcissus tea due to the fact that Shuixian (Water Immortal) is the Chinese name of this flower. The story of the name that I was taught is that the original Shuixian bushes grew outside of a cave where locals paid respect to the local water spirit. Shuixian is semi-arboral, meaning that, given time, its bushes will grow into small trees which can reach an age of several hundred years old. Most people know of Shuixian as an wulong, one of the cliff/rock teas of the Wuyi Mountains, so named for the scarcity of soil in the region. Tea here is generally grown on terraces built up with rocks on the hillsides. Farmers will use a pick to break up dirt to fill these terraces. The rocky landscape of the Wuyi Mountains gives the teas that grow there a robust character.
This teas is ready to drink now, and is also perfectly suited for aging. Given the low density of the tea, I would recommend filling the gaiwan for a full flavor, or use less leaf if a more delicate and subtle flavor is preferred. Once this teas has been brewed seemingly to exhaustion, it can be placed in boiling water for further infusions, giving this tea an extremely long lifespan. This tea does not feel particularly warming or cooling in its effect, making it suitable for any type of weather.
Price is per 50 grams/1.76 ounces