Yellow Tea Varieties
Yellow tea shares similarities with green tea in its production, differing only in the additional process of “wet piling.” This wet piling process is the main characteristic of yellow tea's manufacturing method and its fundamental distinction from green tea. Green tea is unfermented, whereas yellow tea belongs to the category of lightly fermented teas.
Yellow teas are classified into three categories based on the tenderness and size of the fresh leaves: yellow bud tea, small-leaf yellow tea, and large-leaf yellow tea. Each category has specific requirements for the new shoots and leaves. The distinctions are as follows:
【Yellow Bud Tea】
Made from very tender leaves, usually single buds or one bud with one leaf. Notable examples include “Junshan Silver Needle” from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Hunan Province; “Mengding Yellow Bud” from Mingshan County, Ya'an, Sichuan Province; and “Heshan Yellow Bud” from Huoshan, Anhui Province.
【Small-Leaf Yellow Tea】
Made from fine and tender young leaves. Examples include “Beigang Maojian” from Yueyang, Hunan Province; “Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea” from Ningxiang, Hunan Province; “Yuanan Deer Yard Yellow Tea” from Yuanan, Hubei Province; and “Pingyang Yellow Infusion” from Pingyang, Zhejiang Province.
【Large-Leaf Yellow Tea】
Made from more mature leaves, such as one bud with two or three leaves, or even four or five leaves. Examples include “Heshan Large-Leaf Yellow Tea” from Huoshan, Anhui Province; “Guangdong Large-Leaf Yellow Tea” from Shaoguan, Zhaoqing, and Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province; and “Haimagong Yellow Tea” from Haimagong Township, Guizhou Province.
Yellow Bud Tea
Figure: Junshan Silver Needle
The characteristics of Junshan Silver Needle are: 1. Tight and straight shape; 2. Golden-yellow color with a lustrous appearance; 3. High aroma; 4. Apricot-yellow clear infusion with a sweet and full-bodied taste; 5. Tender and bright yellow leaves at the bottom of the cup.
Junshan Silver Needle is one of China's famous teas. It is produced on Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Hunan Province, and its shape is as thin as a needle, hence the name. The history of Junshan tea dates back to the Tang Dynasty. It is said that Princess Wencheng chose Junshan Silver Needle to bring to Tibet when she married into the Tibetan royal family.
Figure: Mengding Yellow Bud
The characteristics of Mengding Yellow Bud are: 1. Flat and straight shape with visible buds and downy tips; 2. Pale yellow infusion with a bright color; 3. Rich sweet fragrance; 4. Tender and bright yellow leaves at the bottom of the cup.
Mengding Yellow Bud is produced in Mingshan County, Sichuan Province. The history of tea production in Meng Mountain is very long, and Mengding tea was a famous tribute tea from the Tang Dynasty through the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Even today, many teahouses and tea shops hang couplets reading “Yangtze River water, Meng Mountain tea,” showing the profound influence of Mengding tea. Mengding Yellow Bud begins to be harvested around the Spring Equinox, using plump buds with one leaf just starting to unfurl, which undergo eight processes including fixation and re-frying.
Figure: Heshan Yellow Bud
The characteristics of Heshan Yellow Bud are: 1. Fine and delicate shape like sparrow tongues; 2. Tender yellow color; 3. Chestnut-like aroma; 4. Yellow-green clear infusion; 5. Full-bodied taste with a sweet aftertaste; 6. Bright yellow, tender, and uniform leaves at the bottom of the cup.
Heshan Yellow Bud is produced in Huoshan County, Dabie Mountains, Anhui Province. In ancient times, Huoshan belonged to Shouzhou, and the yellow bud tea produced there was already a renowned tea and top-grade variety from the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty. It was listed as a tribute tea during the Qing Dynasty, as recorded in historical documents such as “Tangguo Shibian” and “Qunfang Pu.” The fresh leaves for Heshan Yellow Bud must be very fresh and tender, usually processed on the same day they are picked. There are five processes: fixation, initial drying, spreading out, re-drying, and final drying. After spreading out and re-drying, the tea turns yellow.
Small-Leaf Yellow Tea
Figure: Beigang Maojian
The characteristics of Beigang Maojian tea are: stout and plump buds and thick leaves, with visible downy tips and a golden-yellow color; high and clear aroma; orange-yellow infusion; rich and mellow taste; thick and tender leaves at the bottom of the cup.
Beigang Maojian is produced in Yueyang, Hunan Province. North Harbor tea from Yueyang was well-known during the Tang Dynasty. The source of the North Harbor is Meixi, and it is named for being located north of the South Harbor. The current production area of Beigang Maojian is in the North Harbor Lake area of Kangwang Township, Yueyang City. Beigang Maojian is generally harvested about five to six days after the Qingming Festival. The standard for fresh leaves is one bud with two or three leaves, and only those harvested on sunny days are selected. The leaves are not damaged by insects or purple, and the tenderness is divided into five grades: special grade and grades 1-4.
Figure: Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea
The quality characteristics of Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea are: curled edges shaped like blocks, bright yellow and lustrous color, visible white downy tips, orange-yellow and bright infusion, strong and pleasant smoky aroma, mellow and sweet taste, bright yellow and tender leaves at the bottom of the cup.
Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea is produced in the western part of Dawei Mountain, Ningxiang County, Hunan Province, and is sold in Gansu, Xinjiang, and other provinces. The manufacturing process of Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea includes fixation, wet piling, light rolling, baking, sorting, and smoking. While smoke is generally disliked in most teas, especially in famous and high-quality teas, a pleasant smoky aroma is a distinctive feature of Weishan White-tipped Yellow Tea. It is highly favored by people living in border regions and considered a precious tea gift.
Figure: Yuanan Deer Yard Yellow Tea
The quality characteristics of Yuanan Deer Yard Yellow Tea are unique in style, with a