Teas / oolong / Lao Cong Shui Xian (Old Bush Water Sprite)

Lao Cong Shui Xian (Old Bush Water Sprite)
🇨🇳 China

Lao Cong Shui Xian (Old Bush Water Sprite)

Lǎo Cōng Shuǐ Xiān · 老枞水仙 (老樅水仙)

wuyi-yancha

Lao Cong Shui Xian — "Old Bush" Shui Xian — is the aged-bush version of the Wuyi Shui Xian (Narcissus) cultivar. By convention, when a Shui Xian tree surpasses 50 years of age the tea is called Lao Cong; trees over 100 years are not unusual, and some surviving Wuyi Shui Xian bushes are roughly 200 years old. The cup picks up moss, aged wood, and a deep "rock" mineral character on top of Shui Xian's signature flowery honey aroma — a thicker, longer-finish, more contemplative version of the same cultivar.

Quick facts

Region
Wuyi
Harvest year
2024
Harvest season
spring
Oxidation
50%
Roast
heavy

Brewing

Leaf
5.0 g / 100 ml
Water
100°C
Rinse
yes
Gongfu steeps (s)
10, 15, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120

Boiling water and a thick-walled clay or porcelain gaiwan; old-bush leaf brings out the "rock" mineral character most clearly at the second and third infusions. Holds 8–10 steeps.

Calculate leaf weight for this tea

Tasting notes

Aroma
moss, aged wood, narcissus, deep mineral
Flavor
thick, mineral, woody, sweet, structured
Mouthfeel
thick, oily
Finish
very long, mineral

Aging potential

Properly stored Lao Cong Shui Xian rewards 5–15+ years of aging; sharpness and astringency subside, the mineral and aged-wood character deepens.

Related teas

Vendors