Shui Jin Gui
The fourth of the famous Wuyi bushes, and the most floral of the roasted ones. It carries a distinctly sweet, almost osmanthus-like top note over the usual mineral base, and it is the least commonly seen of the four on Western merchants' lists.
Character
Floral and sweeter than Rou Gui or Tie Luo Han, with the mineral character present but sitting underneath rather than leading. A good second rock tea once the category makes sense.
- Flavour
- Floral, Roasted, Mineral, Fruity
- Aroma
- Caramelised, Orchid
- Mouthfeel
- Full bodied, Smooth, Rich
- Complexity
- Layered
- Notes
- osmanthus, caramel, wet stone, dried apricot
- Aftertaste
- Sweet and floral over a mineral base.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- China
- Region
- Wuyi Mountains
- Oxidation
- Partially oxidised
- Roast
- Medium
- Harvest
- Spring
- Processing
- Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting
History
The fourth of the famous Wuyi varietals, and the subject of a documented nineteenth-century legal dispute between two temples over which owned the original bush. The case is one of the earliest records of tea provenance being litigated.
Brewing
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
5–7 g/100 ml · 98–100 °C · 6 authored infusions
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1.5–2.5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 2 authored infusions
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Tie Luo Han
Two of the four famous Wuyi rock varietals, both heavily roasted and mineral. Distinguishing them blind is difficult even for experienced drinkers, and the names carry more weight than the differences.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Wuyi Jin Guan Yin
Shares 7 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: floral, roasted, mineral, full bodied, smooth, orchid and caramelised.
- Wuyi rock tea (yancha)
Shares 7 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: roasted, mineral, fruity, full bodied, rich, smooth and caramelised.
- Ban Tian Yao
Shares 6 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: fruity, floral, roasted, mineral, smooth and orchid.
- Da Hong Pao
Shares 6 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: roasted, mineral, full bodied, rich, smooth and caramelised.
- Dong Ding
Shares 6 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: roasted, fruity, full bodied, smooth, rich and caramelised.
- GABA oolong
Shares 6 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: fruity, roasted, full bodied, smooth, rich and caramelised.
- Hong Shui Dong Ding
Shares 6 descriptors with Shui Jin Gui: roasted, fruity, full bodied, smooth, rich and caramelised.