Some are lucky enough to experience the luxury of yellow tea, the rarest tea variety in the world. “Yellow” not only refers to a distinctive level of processing, producing a golden hue, but also highlights its royal nature worn exclusively by emperors for centuries. Due to its regal nature, please take caution in purchasing yellow tea in the West. Make sure to fully understand the tea vendor because more often than not, third-rate green tea is sold as yellow tea.
Origins
Yellow tea was accidentally discovered during the Ming Dynasty when a worker, aiming to produce green tea, mistakenly allowed the tea leaves to turn yellow. Yellow tea is known as the rarest of six tea classes, produced exclusively in China in the mountains of Zhejiang, Sichuan, and Hunan provinces. The yellow tea production process is slowly disappearing due to processing difficulties, while demand for green tea continues to soar in the West.
Production
The production of yellow tea starts with hand-picking immature spring tea buds from the Sichuan, Zhejiang, and Hunan provinces of China. Yellow tea undergoes a similar production process as green tea but has an elongated oxidation procedure to fortify the grassy zest. The oxidation process develops slowly under special mats or in boxes to procure a golden appearance and a sweetened taste.
Health
The slow oxidation process during production allows yellow tea to work wonders on the stomach, eliminating indigestion and aiding weight loss. Yellow tea also has the power to wage a war against cancer and inflammation with its richness in vitamins, amino acids, and polysaccharides, allowing you to regain control of your life.
