Charcoal Roasted Laocong Zhangping Shuixian

Name of the product: Charcoal Roasted Laocong Zhangping Shuixian

Year: 2024

Harvest: Spring

Altitude:  600 meters above sea level

Tea Material: 60-80 years old tea bushes

Roasting: light-med (charcoal roasted)

Area: Zhangping, Nan Yang

(Charcoal Roasted Laocong Zhangping Shuixian)

Tea origin

Zhangping Shuixian may not be as famous as other Wulong teas like Tie Guan Yin or Yancha. Still, the quality of good examples is worth trying.

In China, it is well-known for its classic mini square tea cake or biscuit shape. Also, producers wrap the finished tea with white cotton paper. In addition, it is the only compressed oolong tea, apart from some Yancha and Dancong teas, which are occasionally pressed into cakes or bricks.

The tea originates from Longyan, Zhangping, Fujian Province.

Zhangping has been one of the major tea-producing areas in southern China since ancient times. According to historical records, it has a long history of tea, which began in the Yuan Dynasty, and there were also tea processing places in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The Zhangping Shuxian tea tree species is not native to the local area. During the Qing Dynasty, Liu Yongfa brought Shuixian tea seedlings from Shuiji in Jianyang, located in northern Fujian, to his hometown in southern Fujian for cultivation. This event marked the beginning of the production history of Zhangping Narcissus.

Liu Yongfa and Deng Guanjin are pioneers of the Zhangping Shuixian tea industry, with Liu Yongfa being the originator of it.

Originally, tea was available in loose leaves and tea balls. The loose leaves were large and long, making them difficult to transport and prone to moisture absorption and deterioration. However, Deng Guanjin, who studied under Liu Yongfa, addressed this significant issue.

In 1914, he developed a unique method of making Shuixian tea cakes (the biscuit shape known today) using a wooden mould to press tea leaves into square tea cakes.

Some Wulong teas, like Tie Guan Yin, with some exceptions, have adopted light shaking and heating with a high temperature to dry and remove the red edge on the tea leaves. Zhangping Shuixian is an unconventional tea that uniquely retains the traditional appearance of its leaves, which are green with red edges, indicating a degree of oxidation. Producers achieve this distinctive look during the zuo qing (bruising) step, which involves alternating withering and repeated shaking (yao qing) to create friction among the leaves and trigger oxidation on the tea leaves.

Tasting notes

Delicate perfume comes from the soup in the cup and the wet tea leaves.

The rich, sweet, and flavorful tea soup indicates that it is made from Laocong tea leaves.

The tea has no bitterness and a moderate astringency. Its light-medium roast level allows the floral characters to still show in the tea. You might also notice a cooling sensation in the mouth.

Regarding the aftertaste, it is long and intense in the mouth and throat.

If you want to try a top-quality Zhang Ping Shuixian, you shouldn’t miss it. This kind of tea quality doesn’t reach West tea consumers.

If you prefer a more roasted version, try the Autumn one.

The Autumn version has a more pungent roast taste. Contrarily, the Spring version is sweeter and fuller-bodied, and the taste is more floral. Both options are great; it ultimately depends on your personal preference. You can choose the spring/autumn sample for comparison.

Note: This tea can be aged in its original packaging. In 5 to 10 years, it will start changing to a sour plum profile.

About preparing the tea

Each tea biscuit weighs between 8 and 10 grams; since the leaves are not weighed before pressing, the weight of each piece may vary.

I prefer to divide one biscuit into two or three portions before brewing it. I don’t brew the whole biscuit. But that is up to your personal preference.

Weight	N/A
Weight	18 grams (2 biscuits- 1 spring & 1 Autumn), 9 grams (1 biscuit), 45 grams (5 biscuits), 90 grams (10 biscuits)