Product Overview
Type: Yellow
Packaging: Bag
Origin: China
Description: Steep, jagged mountains cut with gushing springs are home to alpine forests, rich bamboo groves and some of China's finest large leaves teas. Different from common yellow teas, this tea is harvested from Bulang Mountains in Yunnan Province. High elevations, rich soils, traditional farming practices and tea craftsmanship combine to bring this wonderful yellow tea to market.
It is an increasingly rare and expensive variety of tea. The process for making yellow tea is similar to that of green but with an added step of encasing and steaming the tea. This allows the tea to oxidize at a slower rate, producing a far more mellow taste than is found in most green teas; this also gives the leaves a slightly yellow colouring during the drying process. Yellow tea is often placed in the same category with white tea due to its light oxidation. One of the primary aims of making yellow tea is to remove the characteristic grassy smell of green tea while preserving the associated health qualities of green tea.
Yunnan yellow is grown at an approximate elevation of 1300 meters in the Bulang Mountains of Yunnan Province. Tea was harvested in April. Teas in this area are fed and replenished by abundant fresh water springs that dissect the mountains. Note the very slight golden cast to the leaves. Yellow teas appear as bright green yet the name comes from the fact after their initial drying & just before firing, they are allowed to an additional step Men Huang. After very early spring buds or tips are pan-fired, they are wrapped in special cloth, a step that is repeated several times over a period of up to three days, gently oxidizing the leaves before the final slow charcoal drying. This smothering process pulls the aromas back into the buds and creates a more aromatic and mature tea, free of the “grassy” taste and astringency found in many green teas.
Long, slightly twisted, somewhat thick leaves, lots of added tip for sweetness. Yunnan yellow is less likely to develop the strong, grassy flavor some green teas can, but rather has a smooth sweetness and light flavor. Astringency or bitterness is rare for this tea to develop because of the covering step, as it inhibits the development of those pungent flavor components in the finished tea. Our Yunnan yellow offers a smooth and lush floral character. The leaves are consistent in shape and size and its coloration bespeaks its fresh flavor.
This mix of large green-brown leaves and stems were sun-dried to stop the fermentation process. These large leaves have a depth of taste and a lingering sweet, floral flavor. In tasting, we found this tea delicious and refreshing. The soft and sweet liquor has a vegetal and herbaceous character akin to wheat grass. Vibrant large leaves are crafted to bring out smooth and lush floral flavors. Almost no astringency. Always a refreshing and naturally sweet tea that offers liquor that is strikingly clear and clean. Taste is light, very smooth & vegetal, naturally sweet.
Brewing Guide: Steep one tablespoon per 6 oz. of water for 1-3 minutes in water well below boiling (170-180 degrees Fahrenheit). Yellow tea holds up well to multiple infusions, although slightly longer steeping times are recommended for subsequent infusions.
