Zheng family’s way of making Zhang Ping Shui Xian has a lot in common with the way our Xiao family makes Wuyi rock tea. In both cases, the key is how the roast is handled.

Zheng Wenhai comes from a tea-making family. Both his father and grandfather made tea, so he grew up around the craft from an early age. That matters especially in paper-wrapped roasting, which takes a great deal of experience. The leaves are first wrapped in white paper to hold their shape, then slowly baked over low heat. The fire cannot be too strong or too weak. If it is too strong, the paper can scorch, the tea can be damaged, and the floral aroma can be lost. If it is too weak, moisture will remain, and green notes or other off flavors can stay in the tea. Because the tea is roasted through a layer of paper, the tea maker cannot judge it by temperature alone. A lot depends on experience and constant adjustment.

Zhang Ping Shui Xian and Wuyi rock tea are very different teas, but the logic of roasting is similar. Good roasting is not there to cover problems. It is there to bring the tea into better balance and bring out what is best in the leaf.

Zheng Wenhai does this well. He removes unwanted notes while keeping the orchid fragrance that defines Zhang Ping Shui Xian. The tea drinks clean, full, and steady, whether it is the lighter style or the more roasted one.