Yellow Tea
Mengding Huangya (Yellow Buds)
Not many people have heard of this "yellow" beverage, but she is as exciting as any green tea. Whether it is history, harvesting or processing, she reflects the best of Chinese tea.
According to historical annals, the first mention of her being a tribute tea dated back to 779 A.D., the time when emperors started collecting tea for his own consumption.
So - how is she different from a green tea?
Artisan Crafting
When making a green tea, high heat is applied to kill the tea enzymes to halt the oxidation process. If roasting temperature is too low, or the subsequent cooling lacks ventilation, the tea leaves will turn yellow.
This yellow-ing is a form of "wet oxidation", in the same way that tea reddens when it oxidizes to make oolong or black tea.
The key is to control the degree of "yellow-ing" so that the right chemical changes take place.
Yellow-ing Process
The yellow-ing effect is achieved by using a lower roasting temperature longer. After roasting, the leaves are wrapped in paper to encourage them to turn "yellow".
Therefore a yellow tea can be considered a slightly to moderately oxidized tea. It contains the same level of theanine as green tea, but lower level of antioxidants and higher level of aromatic oils.
Needless to say, this is a difficult process that takes many years to master. This is the reason why high grade yellow tea is rare and much sought after.
Classification
There are three broad families of this tea:
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Yellow Bud
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Yellow Small Leaf
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Yellow Big Leaf
Yellow Bud is the highest grade. It is in this family that we come across eminent names such as
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Junshan Yinzhen
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Mengding Huangya (Available for 2010)
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Huoshan Huangya (Available for 2010)
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Mengding Huangya AAA Grade (February 2010) - 50 grams
Widely recognized as one of the top three yellow tea in China, the Mengding Huangya tea comes from the magical Meng Mountain of Sichuan province.
Mengding Huangya has a long and illustrious history. She has been a tribute tea since Tang dynasty (600 to 900 A.D.).
The name Huangya means yellow buds. It alludes to her leaf style, which for an early harvest like this AAA grade, consists of one bud with two leaves.
The tea buds are a pure pleasure to behold. Pour boiling water in glass and watch how they defy gravity and stay suspended mid-water.
If I don't tell you she is a yellow tea, you won't guess. The only clue she gives away is the tea liquor color, which is a beautiful yellow.
Medium rich in body and a pleasant vegetal in taste, she is easy to like. The aftertaste is long and lasting.
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AAA Grade - Easy to appreciate |
The Mengding Huangya is indeed easy to appreciate. It is probably a bit to grassy for me to drink everyday, but it is sweet and smooth all the way.
Yellow tea should be brewed the same way as the Dragon Well tea by infusing a small amount of leaves in high temperature water for as long as it takes.
For further information about packaging, brewing, maturation and storage, read Dragon Well Tea - Further Guide.
