DETAILED TASTING NOTES

Dry leaf aroma: toasted almonds, clay, buckwheat bread
Wet leaf aroma: dry earth, bread, almonds
Texture: medium, chalky yet coating
Taste: chestnuts, malty kvass, dark sugar, hint of cinnamon, sunflower seeds, jujube
Finish: soft and round, dry then juicy
Empty cup aroma: honey toast
Aftertaste: sunflower seed gozinaki
Body sensation: warm, grounded

Category: Dark Tea
Original Name: 金花泾阳茯茶
Harvest: Spring 2018
Origin: Yiyang Town, Anhua County, Hunan Province; processed into Fu brick in JingYang, Shaanxi Province, China
Cultivar: Hunan Da Ye Zhong (Large Leaf)
Altitude: 600-1000m

Most Fu teas on the market lean towards earthy, humid, with fermentation at the forefront — especially teas from AnHua (Hunan province). Fu teas from JingYang (Shaanxi province) are different: fruitier, nuttier, and noticeably cleaner — which I would attribute to Shaanxi's drier climate, shaping the storage and aging conditions.

Golden flowers (JinHua) are present but not overpowering, which is rarer than one might think. They complement the tea without dominating it. Hand pressing also means there are no stems in the brick, and it breaks apart effortlessly. Honest quality at a price that doesn't do the tea justice, it's so good.

If you like Fu teas and want to try something new, check out our Forest Saint-Germain — a unique white tea processed into a Fu brick (FuZhuan) by the same producer as Golden Loaf.

GongFu Infusion:
100°C
7g /100ml
1st infusion: 10sec, subsequent: +5sec/infusion
15 infusions

Boiled: Excellent for cooking — as an alternative or after GongFu infusion. Use 5-10g for 500ml and add 1-2 crystals of good mineral salt. Simmer over low heat and top up with water as needed. The longer the cooking, the thicker, darker, and sweeter the broth. Leave at least a third of the liquid in the pot and dilute with hot water as many times as you like.

On the go: Put 5-10g in a one-liter thermos, fill with boiling water (100°C), and drink throughout the day.

Fu brick (FuZhuan) is a type of tea that undergoes a unique fermentation, during which a fungus called eurotium cristatum develops inside the brick as characteristic golden spots, known as golden flowers (JinHua). JingYang, in Shaanxi province, where Fu tea is believed to have originated, has been perfecting this art for about six centuries, under the specific temperature and oxygen conditions that promote the development of golden flowers.
 
 JingYang Fu teas often use raw material (HeiMaoCha) from other regions, unlike AnHua, which almost always uses local tea. The raw material for this brick was harvested in AnHua, Hunan, according to a first-grade standard (one bud and two leaves), before going through kill-green (ShaQing) and initial drying. It was then transported to JingYang, where it was steamed, pile-fermented (WoDui) for two days, inoculated with the brand's own golden flower, and hand-pressed into bricks before 45 days of aging in dedicated chambers. Entirely handmade.

The story of this tea with Tea Drunk Monkeys begins in Xi'An, the capital of Shaanxi province, where Efim serendipitously met a JingYang native who produces and sells his teas locally. He opened his shop just for us during the holidays, answered every question directly, and showed us what he and a close friend are quietly experimenting with. Their teas are almost impossible to find elsewhere in China, let alone abroad.

The golden spots you see in the brick are not mold in the harmful sense. This is eurotium cristatum, a fungal culture intentionally cultivated in the production of Fu tea for hundreds of years, valued for the depth it brings to the taste and for its purported digestive and metabolic benefits.

We have encountered online reports from people with gluten sensitivity reacting to golden flower, although we have found no concrete evidence explaining this phenomenon. No gluten was used at any stage of this tea's processing. If you have known intolerances, we suggest starting with a small quantity.