Charcoal Roasted Zhangping Shui Xian is an oolong tea from Fujian, China that utilizes the Shui Xian (Water Sprite) tea bush often seen in the Wuyi mountains. Zhangping is the county it comes from, slightly South of Wuyi, bordering Anxi country (where Tieguanyin is made). It has been charcoal roasted, which creates an interesting stylistic and flavor link between the dark yancha of Wuyi and the traditionally made and taiwanese styles of tieguanyin. Lastly I’ll write that that is pre-packaged and thus needs no special labelling or art from me. It comes beautifully presented in a little briquette similar to charcoal, wrapped in tissue paper, a plastic protector sheet, and then vacuum sealed in a composite aluminum/paper bag. They’re approximately 9.5g each, but it varies slightly brick to brick.
It’s got a lovely smell. Something I really enjoy out of Tieguanyin is … some weird powdered bleach fragrance. I understand that doesnt sound pleasant at all, but its fun for me to find it, there’s a sharpness that the nose cannot ignore, perhaps thats my reference point. When I did my first trial of this tea, I used the whole brick with 330mL of boiling water, and steeped for 2 minutes. I thought the aroma was like birds nest soup (but I havent had that in a LONG time and probably misremember it) and honeycomb straight from a bees hive. The flavor was subtle, calming, mineral forward. I imagined a boulder with a giant crack in it which a honeybee colony made its home inside. The boulder was covered in the roots of an old tree, with some flowering plants growing in the exhausted soil patches on the surface. The bees would collect the pollen and bring it to their cave-like lair. I suppose this honey would taste weak and mineral-forward, but nonetheless a clear flavor of a summertime reality somewhere in the world.
The second round of tea tasted like that same rock, but a bit forward in time. Autumn season, the hive slowing down and entering hibernation. Fallen leaves scattered around the boulder, and the ground beneath it. The flavor became more like dates and fragrant woods used in incense (like sandalwood or aloeswood). Sweet Red/Brown and Dry Spicy/Woody
the third round of tea was pretty much more of the same. Similar to round 2, but a bit less real. I imaged a man sitting on a blanket making tea, dreaming of a cracked boulder with a beehive inside.
I came out of that session feeling deeply satisfied. It’s been a while since I had such a great sit with multiple brews. I don’t know if I’d even recommend changing any of the parameters. Perhaps a little stronger MIGHT be nice, but its absolutely unnecessary.
This tea would probably be great for gongfucha, but thats not my style anyway.
