Yellow tea in brief.
Yellow tea is a rare and delicate tea, originating from China. It is often considered a premium tea, situated between green tea and white tea, both in taste and in its manufacturing process.
Here is a description of this unique tea. Yellow tea is known for its sweet, subtle, and round taste, without the bitterness sometimes present in green teas. It offers a golden or pale yellow liquor, hence its name, with floral aromas, slightly fruity, sometimes evoking honey or ripe fruits.
Origin of yellow tea.
Yellow tea is primarily grown in China, in a few specific regions. It is found on Huoshan Mountain (Anhui province) famous for Huoshan Huangya tea. It is also present on Junshan Mountain (Hunan province) where the very renowned Junshan Yinzhen (Junshan Silver Needles) is produced. It is also harvested in the Meng Ding Shan region (Sichuan province) which produces Meng Ding Huang Ya. These are mountainous areas with a humid climate, ideal for growing fine teas. This type of tea is produced in small batches by a few producers, and it sells quickly. It is highly appreciated by fine tea enthusiasts.
Manufacturing method.
The process of making yellow tea is similar to that of green tea, but with an additional key step, the "men huan" which can be translated as steaming or suffocation. Here are the main steps. First, it is the picking of the buds or young leaves which are harvested by hand in spring. Then, there is the step where the leaves are heated (Sha Qing), we are talking about light roasting to stop enzymatic oxidation, as with green tea. There is then a steaming (men huan), the leaves are wrapped in a cloth or placed in small piles under a damp cloth, then left to undergo a slow non-enzymatic fermentation. This step can last from a few hours to several days, depending on the desired result. This steaming step gives yellow tea its characteristic sweetness and its less vegetal aroma than green tea.
The final step is to dry the leaves to stabilize the tea. There are few types of yellow tea these days, one could say there are about six, but only three are well-known and easily available. The reason is that it requires a lot of work and expertise. There is also the fact that the demand for green tea is growing and therefore prioritized. We are happy to offer our customers the Huo Shan Huang Ya from a small production of high quality.
