Yellow

Classic yellow

All recognized yellow teas come from a small number of specific Chinese localities, and the production volume for each is genuinely limited. Junshan Yinzhen comes from Junshan island in Dongting Lake, Hunan; Meng Ding Huang Ya comes from Meng Ding Mountain in Sichuan; Huo Shan Huang Ya comes from Huo Shan county in Anhui; Mo Gan Huang Ya comes from Zhejiang. The sealed-yellowing step (men huan) that defines the category and produces its characteristic mellow, clean sweetness is labor-intensive and easy to skip; much of what is labeled yellow tea skips it. The entire family is here because there is only one family: genuine yellow tea is one tradition in multiple localities, not a broader type with subgroups.

teabert, the tealytics teapot, keeper of the kettle

There's really just one yellow family, scattered across a handful of small Chinese mountains and lakes that each guard their own version. The slow sealed-yellowing step is what gives the cup its clean, mellow sweetness, and since it's so easy to skip, finding the genuine article is half the quest.

Styles in this family

Junshan Yinzhen

Legendary yellow tea from the tiny Junshan Island, with standing upright buds in the cup, a mellow sweetness, and a silky, umami-rich taste.

Meng Ding Huang Ya

Historic imperial yellow tea from the sacred Mengding Mountain, with a sweet, mellow flavor and reduced grassy notes from the men huan process.

Huo Shan Huang Ya

Tender yellow tea from Anhui with a delicate, slightly nutty sweetness and a smooth, soft character created by the unique yellowing process.

Mo Gan Huang Ya

Elegant yellow tea from Moganshan with a mild, smooth character and subtle sweet notes, produced using traditional yellowing techniques.

Pingyang Huang Tang

Rare yellow soup tea from Zhejiang with a thick, rich mouthfeel and sweet notes created by the unique yellowing and parching process.

Wei Shan Mao Jian

Rare Hunan yellow tea from Weishan Mountain with a soft, mellow sweetness and delicate floral note created by the men huan yellowing process.