Shui Xian vs Tie Luo Han

Shui Xian

Shui Xian is one of the oldest and most widely grown Wuyi rock teas, named for the narcissus flower it is said to resemble. The leaves are large and dark, and the cup carries a woody, mineral backbone with floral orchid notes and a smooth, lingering sweetness. Roasted examples add warm toasty depth, while the underlying 'yanyun' rock character keeps the finish clean and structured.

Tie Luo Han

Tie Luo Han is one of the four famous Wuyi bush teas, named for the Arhat bodhisattvas. The leaves are dark and heavily roasted, giving a cup that is bold and structured: dark mineral, roasted grain, and a firm woody backbone with a long, warming finish. It is less fruity than Da Hong Pao and more austere, rewarding patient steeping with growing depth and a clean mineral aftertaste.

Shui Xian

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

1–2 min

Re-steep

3–6 times

Tie Luo Han

Water temperature

95–100°C

Leaf to water

3g / 250ml

Steep time

1–2 min

Re-steep

3–6 times

Shui Xian

Medium caffeine — roughly 30–50 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Tie Luo Han

Medium caffeine — roughly 30–50 mg per brewed serving

A moderate, steady lift without an intense spike.

Shui Xian

China · Fujian (Wuyi)

Shui Xian is grown throughout the Wuyi mountains and is a parent cultivar for many other rock teas.

Tie Luo Han

China · Fujian (Wuyi)

Tie Luo Han has grown in the Wuyi mountains since the Song dynasty and is one of the oldest named rock teas.