Wuyi Shuixian Tea
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Attributes
Leaf Shape
Strong, tight and evenly knit, with wrinkled and twisted leaf tips
Liquor Color
Dark brown and oily
Fragrance
Rich, orchid fragrance
Taste
Rich, sweet and refreshing
Brewed Tea Leaves
Soft and bright yellow, with green leaves and red edges
Table of Contents
Learn More about Wuyi Shuixian Tea
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Introduction
Wuyi Narcissus is a famous historical tea and one of the two varieties of oolong tea in northern Fujian. Narcissus is the name of a tea tree variety in Wuyi Mountain, and Wuyi Narcissus is named after the variety. There is a saying in Wuyi Mountain tea area that “the mellowest tea is Narcissus, and the most fragrant tea is Cinnamon”. The biggest feature of Narcissus tea is its mellow taste.
Wuyi Shuixian Tea History
Wuyi Narcissus began to be produced during the reign of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty (1821 AD). During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the production and sales volume of Wuyi Narcissus reached more than 500 tons, and it was sold well in Fujian, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia and the United States.
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Origin
Wuyishan Tianxin Rock Tea Village, Wuyishan City, Fujian Province
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Production Process
Wuyishan Zhengyan Narcissus tea trees (growing in Niulankeng) are only picked once a year, and the picking time is based on the dew drying. When picking, they are “open-face picking”, that is, when the new shoots on the tea tree extend to fully mature and form buds (when the top buds unfold), leave one leaf and pick three or four leaves. After the fresh leaves are picked, they are dried in the sun, cooled in the cool, made into green, stir-fried in the cool, kneaded in the water, picked, spread out to cool, picked, picked, stewed, raw tea, picked again, and added to the heat.
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Purchase Guide
Narcissus tea is mainly produced in Wuyi Mountain and Jian’ou. On the market, the tea produced in Niulankeng, Wuyi Mountain is called “Zhengyan Narcissus” to show the purity of the origin; while the Narcissus produced in Jian’ou City is called Northern Fujian Narcissus. Some Narcissus are also called “Laocong Narcissus”. The so-called Laocong refers to the tea trees that are old, generally more than 60 years old, and some are even more than 100 years old. Consumers should pay special attention when purchasing.
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Quality Identification
◎ The flavor of Zhengyan Narcissus tea is best after three or four infusions, and it is still sweet after seven infusions, and it has a lingering taste after eight infusions, and the true flavor of tea is not lost after nine infusions; although Waishan Narcissus is mellow, it lacks the flavor of rock tea, and the flavor of tea is often significantly weaker after three infusions. ◎ The leaves of Northern Fujian Narcissus are tight and even, with slightly twisted leaf tips, and the color is oily, with sandy green and honey yellow; the leaves of Zhengyan Narcissus are fat, tight and even, with wrinkled and twisted leaf tips, and the color is dark and shiny with a jewel color, and the uniformity and clarity are good. ◎ The leaves of Laocong Narcissus are tightly rolled, the leaves are large, and the color is dark brown. After brewing, the soup is amber, shiny and clear, with a strong flavor of Laocong, a distinct mossy flavor, a long-lasting and strong aftertaste, and the leaves at the bottom are large and thick, with good toughness.
Wuyi Shuixian Tea Brewing Method
Wuyi Narcissus is best brewed in a 110 ml small covered bowl. The tea tasting cup can be a small white porcelain cup produced in Jingdezhen (holding no more than 30 to 50 ml of water). The water temperature should be 100°C. The first brewing time is about 20 seconds to 2 minutes, and each subsequent brewing time should be extended by 10 to 30 seconds. A total of 12 to 15 brews can be made.
Related Products of Wuyi Shuixian Tea
Compressed Tea
Puer Samll Tuocha
Pu’er Xiaotuo tea originated in Jinggu County, also known as “Girl Tea”. It is shaped like a mooncake and was trial-made into a bowl-shaped mortar in 1902. Pu’er Xiaotuo tea is slightly smaller, like a compressed bird’s nest. When brewed in a glass, its color is as mellow as red wine.
Compressed Tea
Kang Brick Tea
Kangzhuan Tea is a famous historical tea, created during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. It is a brick-shaped tea made by steaming and pressing. Kangzhuan Tea is mainly produced in Ya’an, which was the capital of Xikang Province during the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, the word “Kang” in Xikang was taken from the name, and the shape of the tea leaves resembles a brick, so it is named Kangzhuan Tea.
Compressed Tea
Golden Tip Tea
Like Kangzhuan Tea, Jinjian Tea is also a brick-shaped tea made by steaming and pressing, but its quality is slightly inferior to Kangzhuan Tea. Jinjian Tea is mainly sold to Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai and other places. It is durable in storage and becomes more fragrant as it ages. It is a must-have drink that Tibetan herdsmen love very much.
Compressed Tea
Square Tea
Square bag tea is one of the basket-bag-type roasted and pressed black teas, and is a variety of western road border tea. It is named because its raw materials are pressed in square wicker bags. Because western road border tea was transported by horses in the past, it is also called “horse tea”.