Comparison of Fu zhuan versions, 2010 and 2020

 

2010 "Genshe" version left, Fengqing right, in all photos

I'm re-reviewing two Fu zhuan style hei cha from Oriental Leaf.  The idea was that one brick version seemed higher in quality level to me, but I wanted to check that, and identify character differences. 

I thought that it would be similar but better than the cake version, more complex and intense, with more depth. Really these were completely different styles of the same tea type. It's interesting that I had missed that. I could be more familiar with Fu hei cha range, even though I've tried a good bit of it.  You really need to drink the teas a number of times, comparing impressions over time, and I've not done that yet.

One was from here, Oriental Leaf Fu zhuan hei cha comparison, Lincang and Fengqing versions (the Fengqing one), and from here, Oriental Leaf Jinyang Genshe 2010 Fu brick tea.  I won't reference their background here; it's in those posts, including more descriptions, a site link, and costs for these.  The brick tea costs more, if that helps in fill in some relevant background.

On a different subject, a tea group comment mentioned that it's not most favorable to brew Fu zhuan hei cha Gongfu style. I could check on that. I did review two of essentially the same cake versions brewed Western style a year or more ago, thinking that would work as well. 

Even for drinking a good bit of those teas made in different ways it's hard to weigh in with a developed take. It also seems lazy to just say that it's a matter of preference. I think that you could get good results both ways, and using other approaches, which comes back to it relating to preference. 

I'll get back to themes about style differences in the conclusions section. 

Review:

2010 "Genshe" Jinyang Fu zhuan (an actual brick):  there's an interesting fresh bread / yeast / spice note, and the depth and feel are pleasant already.  I think this will evolve quite a bit when fully wetted, so I'll do more flavor list next round.  That spice note is particularly interesting, quite complex, with parts seeming to resemble different spices, along the line of clove and ginger.

2020 Fengqing cake:  warmer and richer.  A heavier dark bread note is very pronounced.  This visibly had a lot more golden flower fungus, and that should be coming across as well, even right away.  At this stage it's a little more intense than the other version, and probably slightly more complex as well.  That may relate to it starting out faster, to more fungus providing flavor input versus the leaf, which is not fully soaked yet.  

Both are quite pleasant.  I had remembered the 2010 version as having more depth, but we will see.  So far this is pretty even.

2010 brick #2:  that spice aspect range is unique.  To me it's close to clove, or one part of clove, and an incense spice, maybe sandalwood.  Really I need to brush up on my incense spice scents to do much with describing them.

Depth is unique as well.  Feel is thick and rich, and mineral range fills in complexity.  It's unusually good.

2020 cake:  just different.  There are some warmer tones present in this, that people could interpret in different ways.  The sweetness links to a dark toffee.  Bread-like or yeast related input has balanced with the rest already, but it is in a pronounced dark tone range, like a very dark rye, on towards pumpernickel.  

Drinking one right after the other reveals an interesting character difference.  This version is more complex and intense, and covers a lot of flavor range.  The other is intense while you drink it, but less so, with more finish or aftertaste coming across (or equivalent to the other; I mean the aftertaste is strong in comparison with the upper-medium level intensity while you drink it, with this version dialed up across both ranges).  

The 2010 version has an edge for expressing a really unique and complex spice range, but this is just as good for the rest, for overall complexity, intensity, and refinement.  I kind of expected the 2010 tea to stand out more.  But then they're just different; someone might absolutely love either one, but not the other, or I guess could not prefer this kind of tea.  But then these are really pleasant and approachable.  There's a reason why reactions to this same 2020 version has always been favorable in group tastings.

2010 #3:  there's a clean nature to this tea that's hard to describe.  It's well-fermented, and the range of flavors expressed is more on the heavy side, just lighter than the other.  But it's not off in any way, related to mustiness, or off earth or rougher mineral input.  It's all light, clean, and balanced, while still being relatively rich.  

The spice range is a main theme, but it's hard to narrow further.  It's complex, including both incense spice range and one part of what clove expresses.  Some dried fruit range reminds me most of Chinese date.  I suppose some other flavor relates to cooked pumpkin, or someone could interpret that as butternut squash.  We eat Thai and Japanese pumpkin here, which are closer to butternut squash than the orange skinned US version.  

2020:  spice range changes in this, and the bread-like tone also does.  It's good, pleasant and complex.  One could write out a good bit of flavor description aspects for this, depending on interpretation, and it's shifting some round to round, so that could keep changing.  

It's tempting to say that it includes more forward flavors, with less depth than the other, but really it just comes across differently.  A lot does hit you at first, including a touch of sourness that seems to tie to the yeast effect in the fresh bread range.   The aftertaste may be a little less pronounced, but that could also just relate to the forward flavor being stronger in comparison for this tea.  Feel and flavor aftertaste really extend after you drink it, covering the entire rear of your mouth.

There is more complexity than the flavor list I'm describing, but it's hard to pin down.  Some dried fruit or roasted vegetable could be similar to the other, but different.  The heavier dark bread flavor, and supporting warm mineral, really stand out.  It might include a touch of cacao.

2010 #4:  this comes across as really refined, compared to most Fu zhuan hei cha.  It's not as if the other suffers from expressing a lot of rough edges, or flavors that seem like flaws, but this is clean and rich in a unique way.  And lighter; spice is warm, and mineral gives it depth, but it lacks the heavy flavor range and rich intensity in the other.  The color is lighter too.  It's almost as if this resembles an aged sheng more, related to comparison to sheng and shou pu'er, with it having more depth and complexity to evolve towards for not being fully fermented yet.  Or maybe that's wrong, and in 10 more years it will be almost exactly the same.

That refinement is a strange thing, in Fu hei cha.  It's intense, complex, and layered, but also very clean.

2020:  fruit tones seem to pick up a bit in the other.  It's pleasant how it keeps evolving.  The other shifts a little, but more to let deeper mineral and spice tones play a larger role.  This is actually changing flavor.  It might be a little more complex; there is plenty going on.  To me that touch of yeast works well with the rest, but that might be a main dividing line in how others take this.  It's a distinctive part of Fu character, but not everyone would love it.

This is clean too, but in a different sense.  It's heavier in tone, with lots of complexity, and the dark bread and yeast effect gives it all the more range.

I really thought that this comparison would favor the 2010 version more than it does.  I can see why I was so impressed by it, for that spice range being so novel, and for the overall effect being so clean and balanced.  But this 2020 version expressing more intensity and complexity is positive.

Fifth infusion:  the 2020 version starts to lose some intensity, but the 2010 doesn't, yet.  I brewed this on the quick side (15 seconds or so); it would make sense to use longer infusions at this stage.  The 2020 version picks up a molasses sweetness, resembling that complex flavor range in molasses.  I can't really tell if the spice range in the 2010 version is changing; it seems similar.  

Conclusions

Does it work to summarize that the brick version was less pre-fermented, and closer to sheng pu'er (comparatively), so that people who love aged sheng pu'er would like that better, and shou drinkers would like the other more? Not really. There is some comparison to be made, but these aren't pu'er. The pre-fermentation level part probably does work, but the mapping across types preference may or may not. 

Can we guess that the less pre-fermented tea probably has more potential to keep changing, to pick up more intensity and depth over the next decade? Sure, it's a reasonable guess, but I don't know for sure if that works. 

Both teas are great in different ways. I was so impressed with the brick version that I thought that it would seem simply better in comparison, but it's just different. It's lighter in range, with a different flavor profile, and different feel. I would probably have to keep drinking these to be sure of which I like more. 

The brick version (2010 Genshe) is more refined, and some might judge quality level to be higher, as I had. That possible extra aging potential would be meaningful, to many people. But it's not simply better across most aspect dimensions.  Plenty of people would like the Fengqing version more, especially if they value the heaviness, fullness, warm tone, and complexity in very good quality shou pu'er.  But again it's not pu'er, it's different than that.

Oriental Leaf Fu zhuan hei cha comparison, Lincang and Fengqing versions

 

red wrapper Fengqing version on the left, in all photos

I'm comparison reviewing two exceptional Fu cakes from Oriental Leaf.  I think the zhuan part relates to a brick form, so I guess these aren't that, but it still helps identify the material type, for people accustomed to only seeing them pressed as bricks.  

I've recently tried what seemed likely to be the best example of Fu zhuan hei cha I've yet to try from them, reviewed here.  The comparison theme serves a few purposes.  One is to get through versions and samples of teas faster, so that I can review 10 or so teas a month, instead of 5.  

Then it also plays a role in highlighting minor differences between similar versions, which is why I'm using it for this review.  It would be hard to spot differences in feel, sweetness level, aftertaste expression, and so on when reviewing similar versions days apart.  Even isolating flavor aspect differences could be tricky, if a basic flavor range is similar.  It works best for very similar character versions; trying two completely different tea types just adds work, and probably limits what you can notice.

These will be exceptional, it's just a matter of how.  All of the Fu versions I've tried from them have been great, and that's not going to change for these.  That last version was surprising for eclipsing earlier examples, and just being on par with that would be good.  

I'll add the vendor descriptions here first, which I always add back in to the post review notes after trying the teas.  I should also add that these were sent by the vendor for review (many thanks!).  The days of bloggers connecting with producers and vendors to review teas are winding down, or just blog writing is, but it's nice carrying on that form, especially to communicate about interesting and unique teas.  

I had others try those earlier Fu versions in a number of gathering based tastings, and essentially every person saw the version we tried as a highlight.  Work out visiting me in Honolulu and Bangkok and you can place that for yourself.

On Taoism Jingyang Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea - 350g Cake (2020)  ($65.50)

A 2025 World Tea Champion winner where five years of patient aging and Yunnan's finest spring buds unite with Jingyang's legendary flowering craft to deliver a Fu Brick Tea of extraordinary golden flower density and silken, honeyed complexity.

Jingyang Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea — Naturally Flourishing Golden Flowers, Mellow Sweetness, Silken Body

Abundant Natural Golden Flowers (Jin Hua)

Masterful Jingyang Flowering Craft (Fahua)

Smooth, Sweet, Zero Bitterness

Ideal for Daily Wellness and Long-Term Aging

What Makes It Unique

2025 World Tea Champion — Superior Leaf Award: Internationally recognized for best leaf profile and cup character, validated by blind tasting from global experts.

Extraordinarily Dense Golden Flowers: This tea has everything we look for: excellent base material, perfect "Golden Flower" growth, and great aging potential.

Premium Yunnan Spring Bud Material: Unlike conventional Fu Brick made with coarse autumn leaves, this tea uses 2020 spring harvest with exceptional bud density from Lincang and Fengqing.

plenty of golden flowers (the Fengqing version)

the Lincang version

nice looking leaf material, not chopped, as hei cha in general would often be

The black wrapper version is from Lincang, the red from Fengqing (from good Yunnan Assamica plant tea material, where a lot of hei cha source material would come from elsewhere).  I could see why this stood out in an expo event competition; these are pretty good.  Again, as related to trying two other smaller cake versions earlier, one matches my personal preferences better, but both are nice, distinctive, complex, and lacking flaws.

Related to that pricing, $65 for 350 grams, these are much better than any pu'er versions you would buy for that cost range.  The type costs less in general, since demand isn't as high, but for tea of this quality in general under 20 cents a gram pricing is pretty low.

This review doesn't mention golden flowers (which are there).  They add a distinctive yeasty, fruity sort of flavor input, which at best comes across as fresh bread and honey or dried fruit.  Those flavors get mentioned, I just don't elaborate on guesses about the fungus causing them, versus the original material.

Review:

Fengqing:  very nice!  It includes the range one might expect, if anything a little more distinctive and pronounced than expected.  Sweetness stands out, along a toffee or light caramel range.  Flavors are relatively light and bright; a main flavor is similar to fruit cake, a mix of bright range dried fruits, particularly something like dried apricot.  There is spice, and warmer tones, but those are secondary, and the warmth is limited.  There is warm mineral range, but that will evolve more as the tea is fully wetted.  I'll do a longer flavor list next round.

Lincang:  spice is heavier in this, and the tone is slightly warmer.  It's also exceptional.  That spice range is going to be hard to describe; I think it's more than one thing.  One part might be clove, and another cinnamon.  

Of course there is a yeast-like aspect to both, so some description to fresh bread or cinnamon rolls would make sense.  I'll try to sort all that out next round.

Fengqing #2:  it's pleasant the way this set of flavors integrates.  It may or may not sound like that; it is atypical range, related to a lot of other tea types' character.  

Dried fruit stands out, a little stronger, maybe heavier toned this round (for being brewed lighter, or relating to more leaf input than fungus related flavor).  Yeast flavor has already dropped back, but another part of this does relate to a fresh bread flavor.  The type isn't easy to specify; maybe closest to fresh cinnamon rolls or sticky buns (which are kind of the same thing, just presented differently).  

Light and warm mineral supports the rest, giving it a depth.  Pronounced sweetness seems to help tie it all together, now more clearly in a toffee range.  It's very clean in effect.  Feel is full and rich, and it provides some aftertaste experience, with some of the warmer tones and sweetness carrying on after.  

Lincang #2:  spice develops further.  This is really more than one kind of spice.  A warm incense spice stands out, something like sandalwood.  There is no astringency bite or sharp edge to this, but it includes spice range like a cooked form of ginger, a different kind of medium toned note.  That's closer to cooked lotus root, if that's familiar.  It doesn't come across as sweet as the other, but it includes sweetness.

Mostly related to personal preference for sweeter teas and fruit range I like the first better, so far.  But this balances well; the flavors are complementary.  Slightly stronger dark bread tones works well with the rest.  I've been brewing these a little strong because they work well that way.  The flavor intensity would support lighter infusions still being pleasant.

Related to comparison with the other earlier versions these might be a little better.  It's been awhile, so it's hard comparing across months of time since earlier exposure.  And when I drink tea just to enjoy it, or even in informal tastings, I tend to break them down as descriptions less, which sort of could help with analysis and ranking.

Fengqing #3:  it evolves; warmer tones keep ramping up, and lighter sweeter range is replaced by heavier sweeter range.  The earlier fresh cinnamon roll is closer to a fresh darker bread now, not a heavy version of one, but not light either.  The earlier dried apricot has changed to a heavier dried fruit, or mix of dried fruits.  Feel is still thick and rich; maybe even a little heavier.

As a sheng drinker one might consider if teas that lack the intensity and punch are somehow less appealing.  Flavor intensity is fine in this, but young sheng, or sheng with limited aging, is typically aggressive, in terms of feel and flavor, and this isn't that.  I never completely stop drinking black tea, versions along the line of Dian Hong, or related SE Asian forms, so I stay in contact with preference for a different range.

Some of this character isn't different than flavorful and intense black tea, that expresses a lot of depth.  The flavor profile isn't a close match, but it does overlap.  The warm mineral base and fullness can be comparable, again only related to black tea versions that emphasize depth.  The bread-like range is different.

In giving it one last taste before the next round something like dried blueberry might make for a good interpretation of part of it.

Lincang:  this evolves to include more spice range, again along the line of incense spice, perhaps close to sandalwood (although my incense spice range memory awareness is now limited).  It comes across as a little dryer.  Really it is sweet and full, with good depth, but small differences across a similar range stand out in comparison tasting like this.  A touch of fruit edge might relate to a warm citrus peel, not like chen pi (aged tangerine), but still not so far from that.  

There's almost a savory effect.  It's not similar in flavor that it links to related to sun-dried tomato, the other form of savory / umami flavor that tends to be expressed, beyond seaweed that's more common in green tea forms.  This might resemble dried seaweed a little, the roasted sheets version.  But it lacks the vegetal range; it's just the savory edge.  And that is secondary to the warm spice and dark bread context, along with warm mineral base.

Fengqing #4:  this shifts a good bit.  That dried blueberry I had mentioned is closer to dried cranberry now.  It's not exactly tart, but the fruit flavor has changed.  Maybe dried dark cherry works better.  The warm tones have shifted from a bread-like yeast note closer to cacao.  This is much closer to one set of flavor aspects that can come up in black teas, that dark cherry and cacao pairing.  The base feel and deeper flavor range context is different.  It doesn't include any of that sharpness in black teas, present in a very limited form in soft and full black teas.

Feel is a little creamy.  You tend to only associate that with milk oolong, or at least light rolled oolong, but it works as a description for this.  It's reasonably close to a milk chocolate and dried fruit experience, layered on top of warmer mineral and earth tones.  It's harder to isolate the earthy range in this, since the rest stands out a lot more, but I think it plays a role in this seeming so full and complex, and balanced.  It would be natural to just interpret it as warm mineral, but I think it's both, also including mild and sweet earthiness.  

Something along the line of a touch of sweet leather gives an idea of what I mean, but this doesn't taste that much like leather, it would at most relate to a base flavor tone.  Of course that vertical layering is something I'm adding in interpretation; I really do "see" the flavors in that way, but it's probably more in how I frame them than a naturally occurring positioning that everyone else would also experience.

Lincang:  that one spice note dominates this, and then there is a lot of depth and complexity beyond that.  I guess how much one likes this tea might relate to how they experience that one flavor aspect input, as much as the rest.  To me it's squarely within the range of incense spice experience, but I guess someone else might see it as tying to medicinal root spice, or something else.  If you think "bay leaf" when you taste it then it seems to resemble that conventional cooking spice.  

Since other spice range supports that aspect experience it's really complex, even if it's natural to see it as simple, with one note supported by others.  The rest sort of resembles that complex mix of spice inputs in pumpkin pie spicing, which of course overlaps quite a bit with masala chai spices.  I suppose preconceptions about flavors, what one expects, or associates with different complex ranges, would affect interpretation.

Fengqing #5:  this will probably be enough for note-taking, even though these won't be finished.  

Somehow yeast range seems to pick back up.  Interesting; that had seemed to fade.  That relates to a complex flavor set the golden flowers contributes, which seems to extend well beyond yeast, into some of this fruit range I've been describing.  The feel of this is interesting, and pleasant, really well balanced and full.  There is still that pleasant set of dark cherry and cacao flavors present.  This would work well as a Christmas tea with nothing added to it.

Aftertaste intensity is unique.  It's not one main flavor carrying over, or a set, but the rich feel and depth of flavors, and sweetness, all linger on.  Compared to sheng intensity or oolong creaminess and floral range it's limited, but it has a lot of depth, so it doesn't come across as limited.

Lincang:  the main spice note falls into a more even balance with the rest, letting this integrate the best it has.  Those other complex flavors worked well as supporting range before, but now it's all of a similar intensity.  It comes across as softer and fuller, and maybe even sweeter.  A yeast-like depth resembles a light rye in this, a fresh bread note.  Apparently this will brew a few more infusions that are even more pleasant, complex, and balanced, instead of narrowing in scope.

Again related to my own preference the first version stands out more.  I can appreciate spice range flavors, layered with fresh bread notes, but an even sweeter dried fruit and cacao set of flavors works better for me.  This probably relates to a difference between people who are attracted to lots of sweet flavors and deserts, like dried fruit based deserts, or even chocolate and ice cream, and others who like a savory and spice oriented range more.  

Why not both, as differing experiences at different times?  I do crave plenty of intense, bitter, aggressive young sheng, but my main preference within that range is lighter, fruity, strong but approachable versions.  Then sometimes I'll have Xiaguan that's not all that close to ready, and the variety of experience is nice.  A Da Xue Shan origin (I think it was that) "cannonball" form version works well to cover both ranges, and to balance, even related to being transitioned but far from fully transitioned, from 2017 or so.  I just looked it up; it was 2018.  The point is that some of my favorite teas aren't sweet and fruity.

Conclusions

A lot is concluded in this already.  The teas are good, from good plant material, sold at a good value.  I liked one more than the other (the Fengqing material version), related to it being sweeter, a bit fruity, and for tasting like cacao, while the other included more incense spice range, that transitioned to being more balanced by other inputs in later rounds.  

Both kept brewing; I tried another pleasant round that day, and two more the next day.  They needed more time for those 5th through 7th infusions, but you could stretch timing and keep going, or even simmer that type of tea, if you wanted to get the last of it.  Plenty of tea types you drink until the character is unpleasant, but these don't drift into tasting like some version of wood in late rounds (per my interpretation; maybe that simmered round would be off in some way).

To me a next question is how these would compare to the last exceptional Fu zhuan I just reviewed from Oriental Leaf (a 2010 Jinyang version).  I don't know, but I can guess, and might write about comparing them.  These are quite good but I think that tea was great.

You tend to miss things in trying a tea just once, as I do in these reviews, but I have to accept that limitation or else I would need to write and compare two sets of notes for each post.  There might be a difference in body / feel, flavor complexity, or depth between versions.  You can easily miss an important input that's kind of "in the background," like a touch of sourness, or a minor flavor.  I noticed mint on a second tasting of one recently; it was secondary, in terms of intensity, but it adjusted how the rest came across.  I would probably just compare the version that I liked better; three way tastings get to be a bit much.

Those earlier two On Taoism versions (identical tea, listed here, and reviewed earlier here, but sold as 190 gram cakes) were essentially an equivalent option, just sold at less volume, and a slightly higher cost (but still around 20 cents a gram).  I had reviewed them brewing them Western style.  That works, but for teas this good it's interesting to me to see the development of them across Gongfu rounds.  

If I'm in a hurry in the morning I'll still sometimes brew exceptional tea Western style, to keep things moving, and it's nice that these work both ways, as better black teas do.  For good oolong you kind of lose too much from transitions, but for inexpensive and medium quality rolled oolong, as most Thai versions are, Western style is still fine.  If an oolong version is limited in quality or flawed enough Western brewing is better.  Initially I kind of expected more limitations from these teas, an extra rough edge or feel gap, but they're solid, complex and well-balanced.

an orange kitten helped with this tasting

Oriental Leaf Jinyang Genshe 2010 Fu brick tea

 

This reviews an exceptional Fu zhuan (brick) hei cha version from Oriental Leaf.  This was sent by them for review (many thanks!).

I've reviewed a number of other versions from them, over last year.  A general theme was making Fu zhuan hei cha from different types of higher than usual tea material, for example from Yunnan Assamica usually used to make pu'er, or from already processed white tea.  

I've never really explored hei cha processing that much here, how it differs from producing other types, or how fermentation is induced through different processing steps.  I read, and mentioned, some background on Liu Bao awhile back, but it was a bit complicated to sort out by simplified summary.  This includes "golden flower" fungus growth, which is regarded as a positive input, but I also don't get into that much in this.

It works to mostly just describe the tea itself, the typical blog review theme.  Which often starts with citing the producer / vendor description and details, as here:

Jingyang Genshe 2010 Vintage Fu Brick Tea | Golden Flower Dark Tea  ($218 for a 468 gram brick, but it is also sold as a 30 gram sample for $17)

In 2010, in the ancient tea-trading hub of Jingyang, Shaanxi Province, master craftsman Jia Genshe 贾根社 pressed this brick using techniques his family has guarded for generations. The "Jingyang Fu Brick Tea making technique" was officially recognized and listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage of China. This designation reflects the extraordinary skill required to cultivate the Golden Flowers that define authentic Fu tea—a process that historically could only succeed under Jingyang's unique climate and water conditions.

What sets this brick apart is the preservation of an increasingly rare production step: the tea-oil infusion process (熬茶油, Áo Chá Yóu). After the Hunan Anhua black maocha (黑毛茶, Hēi Máo Chá) undergoes initial fermentation (渥堆, Wò Duī) and cutting, it is simmered to extract a thick, concentrated tea liquor. This potent essence is then poured back over the leaves before the flowering stage (发花, Fā Huā) begins. The result is a Fu brick with noticeably richer body and more complex flavor than standard production methods can achieve.

Hand compressed Fuzhuan is easier for the Golden Flower to grow than machine compressed. Since the hand-compressed tea is not as tight as the machine, there will be more space and moisture for the fungus to grow and propagate. Master Jia's entirely handmade approach—from pressing to flowering—ensures optimal conditions for the beneficial Eurotium cristatum to flourish throughout the brick.

So the description offers a good bit of build-up, with more description content in the listing.  And the selling cost of this is considerable, perhaps the highest Fu zhuan or hei cha pricing I've seen.  It would have to be one of the best hei cha versions I've ever tried to justify that.  And it is; this stands above anything else I've experienced within the entire hei cha range.  Surely this represents the high end of Fu zhuan potential, regardless of where it stands within that higher end range.

Mind you the difference between quite good Fu zhuan and a great version could seem narrow, to some.  Their "On Taoism" pressed cake examples were already pretty good, and for people assigning value (and limited cost) as a main selection input they could be good enough.  This tea is something else; it's for people really on that page.  Or buying a sample would provide the experience without the $200+ expense (for a brick version amounting to nearly half a kilogram; that's a lot of material to keep experiencing).

I've mentioned sharing that earlier tea experience, those other versions, with people in tastings (in posts here), and in general essentially everyone who has tried it has found it interesting, and liked it.  I think that relates to why Oriental Leaf is open to sharing tea of this amount and value (which sort of requires explanation, per one take on it).  It could seem like a way to "buy" blogger or reviewer support, to convert a positive reviewer into more of a proactive supporter or "shill" role, but I don't see it as working out like that.  

If I like a tea I communicate exactly the same thing, whether a vendor has sent a sample or else more tea than that.  If I dislike a tea I generally won't cover it, seeing that as an uninteresting story to tell, unless a tea is bad in an interesting way, for example a Lapsang Souchong version is way too smoky.  

I don't end up buying much bad tea, and vendors don't share it with me, so I typically review whatever is interesting enough to write about.  I bought some generic local black tea a year or so ago that wasn't; that kind of thing happens.

Review:

Infusion #1:  of course it's really something, novel, complex, and exceptional.  A rye bread like flavor stands out initially, with lots going on beyond that.  There's a sweetness that might be like honey, or maybe closer to caramel.  A spice tone matches well with the fresh baked bread flavor effect.  I suppose it's like one part of nutmeg, which works out to be a complex flavor.  Feel is full and rich, and it contributes some aftertaste experience already.  Mineral depth is warm and pronounced.

The tea is very clean and full, related to an overall impression.  There is no murkiness or heavy earthiness.  This may well be the best Fu zhuan version I've tried.  To an extent that has to be framed in relation to a personal preference, since that's the final yardstick, but you can also extend that to be an objective conclusion, it just functions in a limited sense as that.  

Editing note:  these notes were written before I read the description, heard anything about the tea, or knew the cost of it, per my standard approach.  I don't go back and edit tasting descriptions to sound more like the product description.

#2:  heavier flavors pick up.  Using a relatively high proportion, maybe 8 grams, relates to this brewing to be strong, even with limited infusion time (maybe 15 seconds this round; not that long, or that limited).  Brewed lighter sweeter, lighter flavors stand out more, and brewed heavier heavy flavors and warmer tones tend to be more of what you experience.  Astringency is stronger when a tea is brewed stronger, but this doesn't include a lot of that.  It has a full feel, and a lot of body, and that's it.

This has shifted from a fresh baked light rye flavor range to a darker bread range, on towards pumpernickel.  Spice tone is still present, but lighter, and sweetness plays a less pronounced role.  More earthy and mineral range depth stands out.  

You can taste a golden flowers input; that has a specific, characteristic flavor.  Some of what I'm missing, that I'm leaving out in notes, relates to that.  There's a touch of sourness to it, a yeasty sort of effect.  If you've tried to use brewer's yeast as a supplement, or something along that line, it's pretty close to that.  I think most people would like the flavor, and overall effect, but there's nothing necessarily universal about that; some also wouldn't.  People could apply interpretations like cardboard or cured hardwood; that could make sense.  To me it's still in a bread range, more so.

she helped out with the tasting

#3:  I brewed this faster, at less than 10 seconds, to see what that changes.

To some extent lighter tones do emerge, but it's also in the same general range.  There's a catchy flavor set, in the way these particular flavors combine.  A lighter, sweeter sort of caramel tone is more present in this round.  The spice that I identified as nutmeg is probably closer to an incense spice.  Eventually I'll try out burning some decent incense sticks, but until then I'll have trouble placing which ones.  Sandalwood, maybe?  

The feel is exceptional, that fullness, with a good bit of structure, but that's at the same time very approachable.  It doesn't contribute aftertaste in the same sense as sheng pu'er.  Flavor definitely trails afterwards, and feel does, but it's more that the whole experience stays with you.  It's also the feel across your entire mouth, and a residual flavor echo that's not the same as what you taste drinking it.  Mineral tone stands out more, like a rich, warm version of clay.  Some people might think "yuck, clay," but the range of scent tones that clay can express can be remarkable.  I played with clay a lot as a child; it was that kind of a strange, rural, old timey sort of experience of youth, for me.

From there I think other people might "get" other flavors.  One part might resemble pine cones, and another some type of curing hardwood bark.  It tastes a little like beeswax.  There's a lot of depth and complexity to both the flavor and feel experience ranges.

#4:  I'll go back to brewing this around 15 seconds; I think it will do well more fully extracted.

Spice tone stands out a bit more.  It's hard to say what spice; it's complex, so really more than one thing.  The main part is along the line of sandalwood.  I suppose this tastes like how you'd expect the "spice melange" in Dune to taste.  Let's check that:

In Dune, the Spice Melange is consistently described as smelling and tasting like bitter cinnamon. However, the experience is highly subjective; characters note that it never tastes exactly the same twice, taking on complex, life-like variations that can induce mild euphoria.

Because "melange" translates to "mixture" or "blend" in French, many culinary interpretations suggest it relies on cinnamon as a base while weaving in notes of nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. The dynamic flavor profile is also frequently attributed to a "learned-flavor reaction," where your body recognizes the substance as life-enhancing and interprets the taste as intensely pleasurable.

(with the AI sampling that last part from here)

One part of this does taste like clove, but it's a very soft, rich part of the entire clove flavor range.  Maybe the spice depth isn't unlike ginger too, but again there is no strong, spicy edge.

Aftertaste is quite pronounced, probably a little stronger for brewing this stronger.  That sandalwood sort of effect really carries over.

# 5:  feel is changing, more than flavor tone, but it's also both.  It's still rich, full, and approachable, but a bit more edge enters in, a trace of dryness.  That aftertaste effect also sort of builds up on you, over lots of rounds.  You could always drink water between rounds, or some neutral food, like a rice cracker, to get it to dispel, but it's a pleasant effect.

This feel and flavor will continue to evolve; this tea is far from finished.  But I only have so much patience for taking notes, and I drank some of sheng versions left over from yesterday before starting this, with breakfast.  Breakfast was pretty exceptional today, but also kind of normal for me:  eggs with amaranth (Thai or Chinese spinach), lychee, left over pastry (egg tart and taro with latticed danish), and a small local donut.

In drinking the last of this round it again occurs to me how clean in effect this is.  For listing all of these relatively earthy or warm vegetal flavors you might expect it to be a little harsher, but it's clean and light in tone (compared to some flavors being a little heavy).  Feel is rich and full but not harsh.  Maybe related to aging input settling out rougher edges?

Conclusion

There isn't too much to add; I really liked the tea.  Flavor complexity, depth, intensity, feel, and refinement were all very positive.  Novelty was great; some other similar teas I've tried could include comparable individual aspects from this, but nothing else has come close related to pulling it all together.

I guess from there I can get back to value issues.  Fu zhuan tends to be inexpensive, and those earlier versions seemed like middle-range pricing to me, on a somewhat higher level than might be most typical ($38.50 for 190 gram cake, kind of in sheng pu'er range, relating to a $70-some 357 gram cake).  

But the most "ordinary" and low cost Fu zhuan tends to include a number of limitations, eg. moderate flavor intensity and complexity, a limited amount of off flavor range (earthiness, tasting like less positive forms of clay), rougher feel, etc.  I think that's a great place to start hei cha exploration, but eventually people might naturally want to try better versions.

Maybe citing an earlier experience will clarify this, from this post in 2017:  Yi Qing Yuan factory Hunan Fu brick tea with golden flowers

That tea sounds fine, and somewhat comparable, but from that description it doesn't sound like it's on the same level.  The tea was from Yunnan Sourcing, but they don't still list it (of course), and instead of that being from 2009 they seem to mostly only list 2018 and 19 versions now (so still a comparable age as that had been then, 8 years old).  Eight years probably does settle out quite a bit of the rougher edged range of a lot of hei cha, but 16 is probably better, for a more complete transition cycle.  

That review includes a bit on what golden flowers are (the fungus); I was doing more with looking up and including such background back then.

To be fair it's hard to place my 2017 perspective against my current exposure to hei cha, and a broad range of teas.  I was new to the range then, and I've tried a good bit since, but have focused more on pu'er.  This was written mostly to communicate the aspects as I experienced them, instead of placing the tea within a range of other Fu zhuan hei cha that's out there, but a little discussion of that seemed in order.

at a local Bangkok convention center (Queen Sirikit)

Lincang and Fengqing (Yunnan) material Fu zhuan

 

I'm reviewing two exceptional Fu zhuan (hei cha) versions made from Yunnan Assamica material, from the Lincang and Fengqing areas.

This is an unusual theme, re-trying versions of tea I reviewed over a year ago (sent by Oriental Leaf for review; many thanks!).  I think vendors have sent the same samples more than once before; it could be hard for them to keep track, as I have to look up what I've tried in the past.  It should be interesting though, because I've been trying more Fu zhuan style hei cha recently, and quite a bit of Liu Bao over the last few months.  I should be more dialed in to that range.

Part of the point here is to compare the style to the other Fu hei cha processed versions I've been reviewing, with two of those based on white tea material.  This is from Assamica material typically processed into pu'er, from Yunnan.  I'll cite the vendor description to fill that part in and get right to it.

On Taoism - Jingyang Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea - 190g Cake ($38.50 for 190 gram cake)

This 190-gram round Golden Flower Fu tea cake is the miniature packaging version of another of our best-selling 350g cakes. Although it is small in size and a bit lighter in weight, the quality of the tea is the same as that of the popular product.

The classic Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea from On Taoism Tea Factory is a signature product of our tea house.

We offer two options:

One is black-wrapped, made from grade one dark tea from Lincang, Yunnan, with a more intense tea aroma.

The other is yellow-wrapped and made from a particular grade one dark tea from Fengqing, Yunnan, with a deeper tea aroma.

Both types of tea undergo post-fermentation and flowering processes in Jingyang. The buds in the red packaging are more tender, while those in the black packaging are more durable for brewing.

These high-quality compressed tea cakes were produced in 2020. They stand out for their ability to be stored long-term and transform, resulting in a more mellow taste.

The most distinctive feature is the high density of golden flowers in the compressed tea cake. These golden flowers, a beneficial microorganism, signify high-quality Fu Brick Tea. To emphasize this feature, workers split the tea cake in half before it left the factory, allowing you to see the dense golden flowers upon receiving the tea. As mentioned in a previous blog, the number of golden flowers is a crucial quality indicator of Fu Brick Tea; the more golden flowers, the better the quality.

This Fu Brick Tea, with its unique round cake shape, supports the traditional and natural growth of the golden flower fungus. Unlike the brick shape of traditional pressed tea, this tea undergoes a unique post-fermentation process using Jingyang water in Jingyang. This process, involving controlled exposure to moisture and air, enhances the tea's flavor and aroma. Thanks to the cotton paper packaging, the rich, high aroma can be appreciated even before brewing.

The Golden Flower Fu Brick Tea offers a unique taste and brewing experience. The tea leaves, known for their durability, can be brewed over 15 times. The taste combines fresh, sweet notes and a returning sweetness with a clear and bright soup base. The On Taoism Tea Factory maintains a clean workshop, ensuring the tea's high quality without washing.

These probably do change a little year to year, but maybe more in the way shou / shu pu'er transitions quite a bit over the first 3 or 4 years, and then changes are gradual and more limited after that.

That pricing is equivalent to a $72 357 gram pu'er cake.  For some Fu zhuan versions that would be on the high side, but these are exceptional, so that seems fair to me.  It would be hard to find other versions that are as distinctive, high in quality, and pleasant, and especially difficult to find anything better.  From there it's down to styles matching preference, which I hope gets described in the notes.

Review:

Lincang material, black label (left in all photos):  I didn't use a rinse; that's a judgement call.  I'm not sure where conventional wisdom stands for rinsing this particular tea.

Flavor is pleasant, rich and complex.  A dark rye sort of bread like aspect stands out.  It's not as heavy, not as dark, as it might be.  One part is lighter, even leaning towards citrusy.  In between complex tones could be judged in different ways.  One would have to mention spice to fill in a decent list, but it's complex enough spice that it's not simple to break down, along the line of incense related spice.

Fengqing material, yellow label (cream colored, really):  even heavier; this is closer to a dark rye, or on towards pumpernickel.  It's clean though; none of the earthy tones seem musty or off, also true of the other version.  An unusual mineral range stands out in this.  Usually mineral tones are light, like flint or limestone, or else quite warm, onto darker colored rocks range, but this isn't so easy to place.  A different spice tone stands out.  For sure that fungus, the golden flowers, is contributing a lot of that to both, so for people familiar with it I could just say these taste like two different variations of golden flowers.  A bit of beeswax sort of flavor comes through, and beyond that again spice tones are hard to place.  Maybe dried fruit plays a role; I'll try to separate a list better next time, but this will probably transition a little already, with a lot of the outer fungus rinsed off in that round.

In retrying both just before going on to the next round the lighter colored first version, in the black label, has a bit more of a distinctive heavy towards actual fungus range, like an old tree bark or log smells in the forest, and the darker colored second version is lighter and brighter.  Interesting.  I don't remember which of these I liked more the last time I tried them, but it will be interesting to see if that changed.

Lincang, black label #2:  even brewed very fast, under 10 seconds, intensity and complexity are great.  Mouthfeel is even full, with a bit more structure to it than last round.  This is giving off a tree bark sort of tone, in a good sense; it's clean, rich, and complex.  Bright tones stand out too, giving it a nice balance.  It's mostly in the range of spice, perhaps with a bit of dried citrus peel standing out.  This is probably the kind of tea that no two people would describe in the same way, so a text description may be of limited helpfulness.

Sweetness, rich feel (with a hint of dryness), and aftertaste really contribute to the experience.

Fengqing, cream colored label:  warmer tones are interesting, especially in contrast with the other being as light as it is.  That seems to have switched, that I just said the opposite in the first round.  I think that round was about the flavor of the fungus that had been rinsing off, and this one relates as much to brewed tea leaves, which are just getting started.  This tastes more like a dark bread, again.  There's a hint of the warm, rich earthiness present in shou / shu pu'er, that peat range, but not much.  It's light and clean in effect, and integrated with the rest in this.  It's more in the dark bread and spice range.  

To me, based only on limited past exploration, to be clear, you don't tend to see this much complexity, balance, and depth in hei cha of this type, Fu zhuan.  The intensity is unusually pronounced.  As I recall, although I didn't re-read an earlier review, these are made from high quality Yunnan material used to make pu'er, not something a bit less (distinctive, or lower in quality?).  I mean the material probably had more potential than hei cha material often does.  It's not made of sticks either, and probably not based on old leaf material as much.  It's just a different thing, across all of those dimensions, related to origin, plant type, and plucking / harvesting standard.

Lincang, #3:  I gave this a little longer, 15 seconds, although the intensity was fine before, maybe on the high side.  It would probably make more sense to use half as much of this tea, dropping the proportion, and brew it on towards 20 seconds.  That's just habit from maxing out proportion most of the time, not an earlier guess about an optimum.

There's a spice oriented range in this that I'm probably never going to describe well.  It reminds me of the Dune theme; this probably tastes a lot like their melange spice would.  It's full and sort of earthy, but also bright and complex.  It hints as lots of spice tone, and also lighter range like dried citrus peel.  Mineral is a part of it, but it's so integrated that it's hard to place, as light or dark, tasting like some particular rock.  Feel is full and rich, but it has an edge of dryness.  It's like how a black tea might include a touch of astringency giving it a little dry feel.  I suppose some might connect this feel and the flavor to that experience, and say that it tastes like the malt in Assam.  It does, a little.  That's probably what I was missing, to the extent it's not just a set of lots of flavors.

Fengqing:  a creaminess picks up; that's interesting.  It's in the form that creamy feel, sort of tied to tastes, emerges in stout beer, like Guinness.  Hints of rich dried fruit also pick up.  Where the other is spice-oriented with dryness this is now on to really tying back to the heavy, dark bread range, not unlike stout, with sweetness picking up.  Feel is rich and creamy, not dry at all.  It's missing that malt edge in the other, which could be a good or bad thing, depending on preference.  

From there one might see parallel with warm tones in fallen logs, with tree bark.  It's also leaning a little towards cacao, but I don't think many people would make that association, because it's not quite there.  It's the way that rich flavor range, soft feel, and complexity come across that implies something like it.  

At this point I like the cream colored label version better (later I'll swap in tea plant material origin locations for main descriptions).  That complexity, spice, and dryness in the first works, it balances in a positive way, but this second version is really unique.

Lincang, #4:  not so different than last round, so I'll mostly skip repeating it all.  Maybe a bit of extra sweetness picks up, an extra dried fruit oriented flavor that's hard to place, partly related to dried citrus peel, but there is more to it.  As to form of citrus I'd say it's red grapefruit.  An Assam drinker might really love this.  I mean someone drinking really good orthodox, high quality Assam, not the ground up stuff that requires milk and sugar.  It includes some of the same malt and fruit, plus an extra dimension or two.  Astringency is very limited, to just a bit of dry edge, but to me that's a good thing.  

Fengqing:  a different kind of spice range enters in, a root spice effect, along the line of sassafras, just not exactly that.  Warm tones stand out all the more, although I guess that was also true in a different sense in the last couple of rounds.  It's creamy in a slightly different way, leaning towards root beer, instead of stout (actual dark beer).  

This is a really unique tea experience.  Both are, but it seems like parts of the other version's character turn up in other places more, in other types.  You just don't end up drinking teas that land right in between dark bread and root beer for flavor range, or maybe really spanning both, including them.  If that somehow didn't make sense together, if it didn't integrate, this could be really off-putting, but it ties together beautifully.  I'd be surprised if I didn't like this tea version more last time.

Of course the teas kept brewing, without changing character that much over the next few rounds, eventually fading later.

Conclusions:

I had reviewed these earlier here; one of the points of this review is to compare notes.  I brewed them Western style, which isn't typical for me for most tea types.  It's not a bad call, related to this style of tea, but you experience more distinct flavor aspects when you Gong Fu brew them.  It also helps with dialing in infusion strength.  

It makes it hard to compare impressions, because they were made differently, and expressed character differently as a result.  The general impressions match, but this second review adds a lot more detail.  This tea is good enough that you probably should Gong Fu brew it; you see an extra dimension or two that way, and it's worth it.  Or if you don't feel like going through that some of the time results are fine the other way, unlike brewing a lot of range of sheng pu'er, which typicall just doesn't really work out well.

Drilling down to finer flavor aspects more, and feel character, it was interesting how one part of the Lincang range reminded me of good orthodox Assam experience, the slightly drier feel, and touch of malt.  You might only associate the flavor with malt if you could make that connection, since it's natural to be "looking for" other earth, spice, and dried fruit range instead.  

The Fengqing expressed more spice range in the Gong Fu brewing based review, like sassafras, coming out more after the first couple of infusions.  Brewed Western style those same generalities turned up, but in far less specific form.  Someone might have even interpreted it as leaning towards cacao, when I saw it as closer to root beer in the last round.  If it sounds like it's closer to shou / shu pu'er I would say that kind of partly works, but it's not related to peat flavor, which is pretty common in shou.

Compared to the other Fu zhuan versions made from white teas these are just different.  Those might have been a little lighter in character, possibly slightly sweeter, maybe with different pronounced fruit tones.  There was a little fruit range in these too though, and earthiness was present but not in a way that dominated the character, nothing unusual, that necessarily would be regarded as a flaw, or negative input.

I should be able to say which matched my preference most, even though that alone can be tricky comparing over weeks of time, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything to anyone else.  Often when you try a tea a few times your impression changes, and you relate to it differently.  That last Fu zhuan tea was pretty good; I can't say that I like either of these more.  It had a clean, bright, fruit intensive range, with lots of depth, that all balanced well.  But there is something really interesting and appealing about the Fengqing version, the way that particular spice range and varied depth come across.  The other is good too, and for a tea to have with food it might be better, but in terms of this impression I liked the Fengqing version more than the Lincang. 

Tea China 7572 Dayi (Taetea) shou / shu pu'er

 

I'm trying the last sample from a small Tea China vendor's set (sent at no cost for review; many thanks!).  

The posts need to have some sort of story that they tell, and often that's about something completely novel, a new style or origin.  This isn't that; this is a very standard type.  But it could be interesting referencing back to what that standard is.  I was still looking into types and background back in 2014 when I wrote a bit on what Dayi / Taetea 7572 is, in 2014, and on storage issues with tasting notes on multiple versions in this post.  I can't directly compare back to experiences 11 years ago, but I can try to look at this experience based on trying dozens of versions of shou / shu since.  

I'll just call it shou here, but I have trouble deciding which is more correct.  If whichever version matches the best standard Romanization practice is less conventional then it would be hard to say.

Their site listing:

Yunnan DaYi Pu’er Tea 7572 Classic Ripe Pu’er Tea  ($18.53, for 250 grams)

Pu’Er ripe tea from the famous Yunnan Menghai Pu’Er Tea Factory (Dayi). 7572 is a classic formula for Pu’Er tea and a benchmark for Pu’Er ripe tea.  We purchased these Pu’Er teas in 2022.

Dayi 7572 is a bulk Pu’er ripe tea from Menghai Tea Factory, which has been produced since the mid-1970s. It undergoes moderate fermentation, featuring the iconic reddish-brown and thick liquor color as well as a mellow taste.

Taste Profile:

In the new tea stage, it has a rich caramel aroma with a sweet scent, and after brewing, the lingering sugar aroma at the bottom of the cup is rich and full-bodied.

As the storage time increases, its aroma gradually changes. For example, after 3 years of storage, the aged aroma and sugar aroma begin to emerge and become more prominent, while the pile fermentation smell and woody aroma fade away. For ripe teas aged over 7 years, the aroma is mainly dominated by the aged scent.

I suppose that works.  One part of the sales listing says it's 250 grams, and the other 150, so I take that to be a typo / accidental mistake.  It's 150; that's listed on the packaging they show.

Review:

First infusion:  brewed a bit strong, using maybe 4-5 grams of tea to brew over 250 ml, maybe nearer to 12 ounces instead.  I did use a quick rinse this time; that's relatively standard, and it could cut back mustiness or funk a little.

Level of funk stands out most.  Shou often has a damp cardboard sort of scent to it, which others could associate as still within the range of peat.  It's pronounced in this.  Moychay shou versions, which are typically pretty good, tend to have a characteristic form of that, which I guess someone could love or else dislike.  Storage conditions input would enter in.  I think that aspect is mainly coming from the original tea character, which transitions over time, but storage would change how it is expressed, especially if a tea is stored very dry or very wet (diminishing that range, if quite dry, and changing it and increasing it, if stored wet or damp).

It has always been interesting how Hong Kong is considered quite damp storage, with Malaysia also described as such.  From online discussion it sounds like these are two consistent themes, based on conditions in those areas, but in reality vendors could, and probably typically would, adjust humidity level in storage conditions.  Malaysia, and Bangkok, are both much warmer and more humid than Hong Kong.  I've written about that here, and I wrote so much on that subject that I wrote a summary of it all here.  But the second of those was in 2019; I've learned a lot more through experience since.  And I write less now; that's how that tends to go.

Back to the tea, flavor is complex in this.  It's generally positive.  I think these benchmark Dayi / Taetea numbered shou are a great representation of good, basic shou character, and are positive to experience.  Of course they would vary.  Beyond the heavy earth baseline in this some hint of dried fruit and rich spice stands out, or aromatic dark wood.  It all mixes; it's hard to express as a list.  Maybe this does taste a bit like betel nut, the traditional Chinese herb input used for chewing, maybe like how people experience chewing tobacco.

This wouldn't be completely separate from the flavor range of chewing tobacco, just not all that close to it either.  Probably the larger leaf version, with a richer, deeper flavor, than the sharper, lighter, more stinging version of "snuff," the ground version.  I've never experienced much of either, but I did do a tour of vices back in my teens, as was common in the 1980s.  Right, I'm getting old.

That's already describing most of the flavor, but in unusually general terms (like spice, like dried fruit or dark wood).  Maybe I can narrow that down a bit, along with describing transitions, in a next round.  But since I'm brewing this Western style it would typically only make about three strong infusions.  This would also be pleasant to experience brewed Gongfu style, and you would see more transition between rounds.  Not a lot, typically, for this tea type, but some.  

Most people seem to like shou brewed inky black, and there is no limit for astringency or other limitations entering in, so it can be as strong as you like.  It's good for thermos brewing, which is just what it sounds like, using a very low proportion and the longest possible infusion time in a thermos, that you take with you.  It's so gentle on your stomach that it's the only tea I drink when fasting, beyond a little aged white, and I'm on day 1 of a planned 5 day fast today.  It's no problem to have this without breakfast.  Rushing through an extra strong brewed 12 ounce mug to write notes on the next part is a little more questionable.

Second infusion:  lighter, brewed faster.  Some of the peat range drops out.  It wasn't really musty before, kind of clean in effect, but describing a fermentation input like peat is hard to clarify related to that.  I think this may really relate to what people describe as like betel nut, as a main flavor.  I really should try that; it's out there in the local Chinatown (in Bangkok; I'm not in Hawaii now, where I also live sometimes).

The rest is still complex, but still not so distinct.  Warm tones do seem like dark wood, and some supporting range like dried fruit or spice.  Maybe sandalwood?  Dried fruit is perhaps closest to jujube, dried Chinese date.  And then it's hard to make any of that more specific.

Feel is decently rich and full.  Aftertaste expression is limited, but it doesn't clear from your mouth immediately, so those two parts give it some complexity.  It doesn't come across as amazing quality tea, but it's solid, and pleasant.

Conclusions:

On to guessing, limited to age, since I already know what it is.  As I see it shou tends to undergo two main transitions related to aging, related to the early fermentation related off notes clearing, typically over 3 years or so, then within 10 to 15 a version can pick up depth, and a less fermented style--which is more rare now--can transition even more.  I would guess that this is around that 3 year age range, that whatever off notes remained have had time to clear.  That's a bit unreliable, because some shou expresses less of that within the first couple of years.  And some more; some is better after about 4 years, which is really long enough for most of that to settle.

That just leaves placing the quality level, or match to what I like in shou.  It's as good as it's supposed to be, lacking significant flaws, so it's already in the top 50% of the range.  I'm just not sure it's better than 7572 would be from most sources, given it had some age, in appropriate storage conditions.  

All shou seems to resemble all other shou more than for most other tea types, to me, kind of like how there is low, medium, and high quality light Tie Guan Yin, and the versions don't vary as much as you'd expect between examples at the same level.  Of course plenty of people would reject both assertions.

So it's good; it's how it should be.  It's down to pricing and considering aging input, related to where to get it.