Collection: Yellow Tea

Yellow tea is characterized by its unique aroma, reminiscent of bamboo shoots and wild mushrooms, and its gentle, mild taste.

Among the various types of tea, yellow tea may seem like a very rare kind.

However, in reality, the history of yellow tea is older than that of green tea. During the early days of green tea, many teas were produced using the methods for making yellow tea.

One of the distinctive processes of yellow tea production is called "Men Huang." This process involves allowing the green tea, after the initial pan-frying (kill-green), to sit under specific moisture and temperature conditions. This step makes the tea's flavor milder and develops its unique aroma.

In the past, tea was not plucked from young buds as it is today; rather, relatively large, matured leaves were used. Consequently, the tea was very astringent, and the freshly processed tea exhibited strong bitterness, making it far from easy to drink.

It is speculated that the Men Huang process was a method to reduce the bitterness of the tea. This technique is also related to the production methods of Hei Mao Cha, the raw material for dark tea.