- Production year: 2017
- Storage: Hunan
- Brick weight: 480g
- Price: USD 50 / brick
- Availability: In stock
Youxin (友信) is a producer specializing in teas made with Gaomaerxi material (both from core areas and border/surrounding areas). They’ve been operating since 2011 (the brand was formally launched in 2012), making teas both under their own brand (such as the brick offered here) and for other brands that lack production facilities of their own.
Youxin is also known for a processing that is light on fermentation and oxidation but heavy on the smoke, and this production is faithful to that style. Nine years since the brick’s pressing, the smoke is now well integrated into a more balanced overall expression. Despite still being a heavily compressed tea in its “mid-stage”, it has lost much of the crudeness bricks with this type of processing often have early on. The highlight of this heizhuan for me is the smooth mouth coating and aftertaste, as well as the characteristic Gaomaerxi profile of a meaty, smoky sweetness with camphor. Due to the very high compression it needs some careful brewing around the time when the leaves properly unfurl.
This 2017 brick was made under their own brand using core area (“imperial gardens”) materials. It comes without a wrapper and was stored in Youxin’s own facilities until April 2026.
I strongly recommend getting a pair of tea scissors for these types of bricks: the compression is really tight. I don’t stock those, but I can help you buy a pair from Taobao and add them to your order if you’re interested.
