"Fortune" 2021 Sun-Dried Shou Mei — Fuding Guanyang · 50g Mini Cake
Fortune is the English translation of 福 — the Chinese character on the wrapper. A simple name for a straightforward tea.
This is a 2021 spring Shou Mei from Guanyang Town, one of the higher-elevation growing areas in Fuding. The material is Fuding Dahao cultivar, withered outdoors under direct sun in the traditional manner. It comes from Liufeng Tea, produced at the Yunwu Tea Factory.
A note on the grade: Shou Mei is the broader-leaf grade of Fuding white tea, harvested later in the spring than White Peony. This particular lot sits at the upper end of the Shou Mei range — larger, more developed leaves than you would find in a White Peony, but well-sorted and consistent, closer to what is classified as Gong Mei. For an aged cake, that fuller leaf character is an advantage: there is more material to work with, and the flavor profile tends toward richness rather than delicacy.
Sun-withering matters here for the same reasons it does in any aged white tea. The direct heat during processing encourages a deeper level of initial oxidation, which steers the tea toward a thicker, darker, and sweeter character as it ages. After several years of loose-leaf storage, the material was pressed into this loosely bound cake. By now the transformation is clearly underway: the liquor pours a deep reddish amber, the dominant note is a warm dried-date sweetness, and the body is full and mellow. It is sitting comfortably in early-to-mid aged territory. The harder edges of a young white tea are gone; what remains is smooth and approachable without being flat.
The loose pressing is intentional and worth noting. You can break off what you need by hand — no tea pick, no tools required. The leaf structure stays relatively intact, which also means the cake can continue to age naturally if you are not in a hurry to finish it.
The tea meets Chinese national food safety standards (GB). There is no organic certification.
At a Glance
| Tea type |
Aged Shou Mei (寿眉), compressed cake |
| Harvest |
Spring 2021 |
| Origin |
Guanyang Town, Fuding, Fujian |
| Producer |
Liufeng Tea · Yunwu Tea Factory |
| Cultivar |
Fuding Dahao |
| Process |
Sun-dried withering; loosely pressed |
| Net weight |
50g per cake |
| Liquor |
Deep reddish amber |
| Flavor |
Dried date, full-bodied, warm and sweet |
| Certification |
China national standard (GB) / food safety |
Brewing
Gongfu (recommended): Break off approximately 5g — about a tenth of the cake — for a gaiwan or small teapot. The loose pressing makes this easy to do by feel. Water at 95–100 °C. First steep 20–30 seconds, extend by 10–15 seconds each round. Expect 7–9 rounds.
Grandpa / long steep: About 2–3g in a mug or thermos, 95–100 °C water, drink as it steeps and refill when the cup is around a third full. The sweet, low-bitterness character of this tea makes it forgiving in a long steep — it won't turn harsh.
Western / pot: Around 3–5g per 300–400ml, 95–100 °C, 3–4 minutes. A good option when you want a relaxed, unfussy brew.
The loosely pressed leaf separates naturally in hot water.
Storage and Aging
Store in a dry, odor-free space at room temperature, away from direct sunlight. Properly stored, this cake will continue to develop. If you buy more than one, it's worth revisiting the same cake every six to twelve months — the changes are gradual but real.
If you're comparing across the range: This tea is fuller-bodied and richer than the White Peony grades from the same region, owing to the larger leaf and the sun-drying process. If you've tried our compressed biscuits and want something with more weight in the cup, this is a natural next step.
