When most tea drinkers hear "Shuixian," they immediately think of Wuyi Rock Tea — the dark, twisted-strip oolongs from Fujian's mineral-rich cliffs, famous for their "rock rhyme" (Yan Yun). However, Shuixian has had a long history in Taiwan -- records trace its arrival to Nantou County as early as the 19th century, transplanted from the mainland into the island's high mountain terroir. Our Shuixian is roasted by an experienced multi-generational tea farmer — he manages to coax out caramelized sugars and toasted aromatics while preserving the cultivar's signature orchid-like floral flagrance and woodiness beneath the fire. The result is a softer and rounder tea than the Shuixian Rock Tea we are familiar with. The parallels and differences from an Wuyi Rock Tea is what makes this Taiwan Shuixian Oolong so interesting.