Jin Hua Fu Cha Hei Cha "New Hope" 2015, 1 pc

Jin Hua Fu Cha "New Hope" is a classic Chinese dark tea (hei cha) from the 2015 harvest in Hunan province, sold as one whole pressed brick. The raw material is traditional for this style: twigs, stems and leaves, pressed loosely, so the cake breaks apart easily by hand.

Golden specks are visible at the break — spores of Eurotium cristatum, the famous "golden flower" this tea is prized for.

Taste and aroma

• Dry leaf: leather, bicycle tyres in an old shed, lightly smoked prunes with walnut.
• After 2–3 infusions: mineral, caramel and salty notes with a hint of smoked and cured meat.
• After the third infusion: tangy citrus and tomato shades.

The taste is very pleasant, soft and buttery, layered and intricately woven — taking it apart into single components is genuinely hard. It resembles a rich pea-soup broth with smoked meat more than an ordinary cup of tea.

Packaging

One whole brick in a kraft paper doypack with a clear window and zip-lock.