Goldrush 2016 Jinggu Yellow Tea

Although Yellow Tea is considered one of the six main categories of tea, it’s not as commonly found or mentioned, even within China. Provinces like Hunan, Anhui and Sichuan tend to be bigger producers of yellow tea, which makes our Goldrush yellow tea particularly unusual, as it’s the only yellow tea we’ve come across that’s produced here in Yunnan. Using Jing Gu large leaf material, this tea highly resembles puer mao cha, with long, spindly 2 leaf 1 bud plucks that are covered in fine yellow hairs.

Yellow tea’s processing is quite close to green tea’s, but has a key step added. As with green tea, yellow tea undergoes withering and then fixing (to deactivate enzymes in the leaves), but adds another step called “men huang” (闷黄 – literally “seal yellow”) before being dried.

The process of men huang involves wrapping the leaves in cloth or paper and allowing them to sit, facilitating further non-enzymatic oxidation. This crucial step adds significant cost and labour, but is what produces this tea’s yellow colour and smooth, sweet character, while at the same time diminishing bitterness and vegetal qualities.

Over 3 years of research and testing went into the processing procedure for this tea, which we feel has come through with great results. This tea has a smooth and refreshing character. Its sweetness is noticeable and lasting, with a pleasant, yet grounded fragrance. This is a tea we recommend anyone try, as we doubt you will find another quite like it.