Shui Xian Lao Cong水仙老枞

Shui Xian Lao Cong is a Yan Cha oolong from Wuyi Mountains, Fujian, China. Brew it at 100°C with 7g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 10 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. A quick rinse is recommended.

Tasting notes

Lao Cong Shui Xian is where age matters more than cultivar. The bushes are 80 to 100+ years old, and deep root systems pull something out of the rock you don't get from young plants — a mushroomy, almost mossy depth underneath the caramel and butterscotch from the heavy roast. The mouthfeel is the tell: thick, coating the whole tongue, with a finish that sits in the back of the throat for minutes. Butterscotch comes first, then roasted grain, and by steep four the mossy cong wei takes over and runs the rest of the session. This is a tea that wants rest — fresh off the roaster it's often harsh and one-dimensional, and serious drinkers wait a year or two. Brew it gentler than you'd think for something this heavy: full boiling water, but shorter pours than regular Shui Xian. Too long and the butterscotch turns sticky and the mushroom flattens into something musty. Ten steeps of real tea if you respect it.

Flavor profile

Old-bush (100+ year) Shui Xian develops a velvety thickness and umami depth that young-bush versions cannot match. The heavy charcoal roast produces layers of caramel, butterscotch, and roasted grain, while the ancient root systems contribute a distinctive mossy, mushroom-like complexity. The mouthfeel is remarkably thick and coating, with a long mineral finish characteristic of zhengyan (core-region) Wuyi rock tea.

Terroir

Rocky cliffs (zhengyan), mineral-rich volcanic soil, misty valleys

Cultivar: Shui Xian (水仙)

Brewing

Rinse: Quick 3-5 second rinse to shake off charcoal dust and prime the heavy-roasted leaves.

1. Quick rinse — pour off immediately.
2. Steep 1: 10 seconds
3. Steep 2: 10 seconds
4. Steep 3: 15 seconds
5. Steep 4: 15 seconds
6. Steep 5: 20 seconds
7. Steep 6: 25 seconds
8. Steep 7: 30 seconds
9. Steep 8: 40 seconds
10. Steep 9: 50 seconds
11. Steep 10: 60 seconds

Use boiling water — heavily roasted yancha demands maximum heat. A dedicated Yixing pot seasoned with yancha enhances the experience. The roast character mellows with age; 1-2 years of rest after purchase is common.

Aroma & taste

Processing

• withered
• shaken/bruised
• semi-oxidized
• charcoal-roasted (traditionally heavy)

Sources

• https://meileaf.com/tea/butterscotch-temple/
• https://teadb.org/shui-xian/
• https://teadb.org/wuyi-special-regions/
• https://white2tea.com/products/obsx
• https://yunnansourcing.com/products/old-bush-flower-aroma-shui-xian-oolong-tea