I emailed Upton asking if they carry Shui Xian. I got a reply pointing
me to Zhang Ping Shui Hsian: http://tinyurl.com/yb3lehh.

Can you tell me if is similar to what you meant when you suggested
Shui Xian?

The Upton tea comes in 9g "mini bricks". Is this how Shui Xian is
usually packed?

Thanks

Prof Wonmug > writes:

> I emailed Upton asking if they carry Shui Xian. I got a reply pointing
> me to Zhang Ping Shui Hsian: http://tinyurl.com/yb3lehh.
>
> Can you tell me if is similar to what you meant when you suggested
> Shui Xian?

I'm not Dominic, but let me take a shot. Upton habitually mangles
transliterating Chinese into the European alphabet. They appear to be
trying to use the older Wade-Giles system, which would spell it Shui
Hsien, but I'm sure this is (to be pedantic, I'm using the Hanyu
Pinyin system) Shui Xian.

On the other hand, the picture makes it clear that this is a very
green version of Shui Xian, so Dominic wouldn't be interested.
Probably I wouldn't, either.

> The Upton tea comes in 9g "mini bricks". Is this how Shui Xian is
> usually packed?

Not usually, but sometimes. I've seen some extremely dark Shuixian
bricks, by the way.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html
recent addition: Yi Ming Jing Ren

On Nov 12, 12:24*pm, Prof Wonmug > wrote:
> I emailed Upton asking if they carry Shui Xian. I got a reply pointing
> me to Zhang Ping Shui Hsian:http://tinyurl.com/yb3lehh.
>
> Can you tell me if is similar to what you meant when you suggested
> Shui Xian?
>
> The Upton tea comes in 9g "mini bricks". Is this how Shui Xian is
> usually packed?
>
> Thanks

Sometimes Shui Xian is spelled Shui Hsien (or I guess Shui Hsian) but
no, Upton's really doesn't carry anything quite right. I'd say the
only thing close are their stock oolongs (I think they call them
oolong, fancy oolong, and choice oolong or something similar).

I don't remember ever seeing my name before in a subject, so I felt
compelled to respond

I wasn't kidding or being persnickety when I said Upton's was lacking
in a number of ways... I'd just ignore the whole Shui Xian thing
completely if they are the vendor. It's really best that way. Shui
Xian is generally pretty inexpensive from almost any vendor, myself
and my wife really enjoy Teaspring.com 's Shui Xian, even over much
more expensive offerings from other places... but I know you had
issues with their site, basically go anywhere but Upton's for it and
you should be OK. It should not be green-ish and it really isn't a tea
that comes in bricks nor would it really benefit from that type of
processing or storage.

- Dominic

"Dominic T." > writes:

> [...Shui Xian...]
> It should not be green-ish and it really isn't a tea that comes in
> bricks nor would it really benefit from that type of processing or
> storage.

The brick-format Shuixian I've tasted was really excellent. Judging
by the taste profile you've specified more than once here, Dominic, I
think you'd love it. Sadly, the vendor doesn't seem to carry it
currently.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

Lewis Perin > writes:

> "Dominic T." > writes:
>
> > [...Shui Xian...]
> > It should not be green-ish and it really isn't a tea that comes in
> > bricks nor would it really benefit from that type of processing or
> > storage.
>
> The brick-format Shuixian I've tasted was really excellent. Judging
> by the taste profile you've specified more than once here, Dominic, I
> think you'd love it. Sadly, the vendor doesn't seem to carry it
> currently.

Whoops, they *do* have it - I was looking under Wuyi oolongs when I
should've looked under aged teas:

http://www.theteagallery.com/1997_Sh..._p/a-97sxb.htm

Disclaimer: The owners are friends of mine, but they charge me retail.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

On Nov 12, 2:43*pm, Lewis Perin > wrote:
> Lewis Perin > writes:
> > "Dominic T." > writes:
>
> > > [...Shui Xian...]
> > > It should not be green-ish and it really isn't a tea that comes in
> > > bricks nor would it really benefit from that type of processing or
> > > storage.
>
> > The brick-format Shuixian I've tasted was really excellent. *Judging
> > by the taste profile you've specified more than once here, Dominic, I
> > think you'd love it. *Sadly, the vendor doesn't seem to carry it
> > currently.
>
> Whoops, they *do* have it - I was looking under Wuyi oolongs when I
> should've looked under aged teas:
>
> *http://www.theteagallery.com/1997_Sh..._p/a-97sxb.htm
>
> Disclaimer: The owners are friends of mine, but they charge me retail.
>
> /Lew
> ---
> Lew Perin /

I've had it and I do like it, but what I was saying is that the
"brick" format doesn't do anything special for the tea... it's not
like Puer where fermentation is part of the game or overly long
storage (although I'd imagine a very old Shui Xian stored as such
would be very good). I prefer the really heavily charcoal roasted Shui
Xian which is almost charcoal itself, long storage would just softent
he bamboo charcoal notes and it would never compress into brick form,
it would just be debris. I've had some Shui Xian which was quite old
and taken out of storage to be re-roasted and stored again repeatedly
(I believe it was 16 years old), it was amazing. But again in brick
form it wouldn't have worked.

I'd say if it is the only option and Upton's is the only option, then
go for the brick option in this case. I'd still say picking up a good
middle-of-the-road shui xian from almost anywhere else would be an
upgrade though.

- Dominic

Here is some translated Chinese information:
http://tinyurl.com/yfb5d8n
At best a green Shui Xian. What next a green Darjeeling brick.
Interesting Photo and Video links.
Jim

On Nov 12, 1:08 pm, "Dominic T." > wrote:
....Someone needs to protect Shui Xian with a logo...
>
> I've had it and I do like it, but what I was saying is that the
> "brick" format doesn't do anything special for the tea... it's not
> like Puer where fermentation is part of the game or overly long
> storage (although I'd imagine a very old Shui Xian stored as such
> would be very good). I prefer the really heavily charcoal roasted Shui
> Xian which is almost charcoal itself, long storage would just softent
> he bamboo charcoal notes and it would never compress into brick form,
> it would just be debris. I've had some Shui Xian which was quite old
> and taken out of storage to be re-roasted and stored again repeatedly
> (I believe it was 16 years old), it was amazing. But again in brick
> form it wouldn't have worked.
>
> I'd say if it is the only option and Upton's is the only option, then
> go for the brick option in this case. I'd still say picking up a good
> middle-of-the-road shui xian from almost anywhere else would be an
> upgrade though.
>
> - Dominic