Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
TeaHQ has written about this pair
The two most planted Wuyi cultivars, and the pair that best shows what cultivar contributes once roast is held constant.
- Leaf
- Wuyi Shui Xian: Large-leaf, selected for structure.Rou Gui: Smaller, from a cultivar selected for aroma.
- Signature
- Wuyi Shui Xian: Thick body with a long mellow finish and a woody depth.Rou Gui: A sharp cinnamon-and-spice top note.
- Under heavy roast
- Wuyi Shui Xian: Carries heavy roasting better than almost any other cultivar.Rou Gui: The aroma can be lost if the roast is pushed too far.
- Old bush material
- Wuyi Shui Xian: Frequently sold as lao cong, where the extra body is most obvious.Rou Gui: Less commonly sold as lao cong.
- Which to meet first
- Wuyi Shui Xian: The more forgiving of a heavy roast.Rou Gui: Either — but Rou Gui is the more distinctive and easier to identify blind.
In summary: Rou Gui brings aroma and Shui Xian brings weight. Most Wuyi blends contain both because each supplies what the other lacks.
Point by point
| Dimension | Wuyi Shui Xian | Rou Gui |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Oolong · partially oxidised | Oolong · partially oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting. medium roast, bud and three plus and spring harvest. | In order: Withering → Bruising (shaking) → Kill-green (fixation) → Rolling and shaping → Roasting. medium roast, bud and three plus and spring harvest. |
| Origin | China — Wuyi Mountains | China — Wuyi Mountains |
| Flavour | woody, creamy, roasted and sweet. full bodied, silky and rich in the mouth. Aroma: narcissus, damp wood, coconut, caramel. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. | spice, roasted, mineral and fruity. full bodied and rich in the mouth. Aroma: cassia bark, dark caramel, stone fruit, charcoal. Layered in character. Moderate in intensity. |
| Brewing | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 12s of 6 authored. Gongfu brewing (Yixing pot): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 10s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored. | Gongfu brewing (gaiwan): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 10s of 6 authored. Gongfu brewing (Yixing pot): 5–7 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 10s of 6 authored. Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1.5–2.5 g/100 ml at 90–95 °C, first steep 180s of 2 authored. |
| Cultural context | Lao Cong (old bush) Shui Xian commands a large premium on the strength of bush age, which the buyer has no way to verify. The mossy, woody character the term describes is real and identifiable; the age claim attached to it is not checkable. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and has drunk enough tea to notice what changes between infusions. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. | Someone who wants presence without being dominated and is willing to drink something several times before it makes sense. It rewards attention to leaf weight and timing. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.