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This is a rare Chinese speciality that originates from the provinces of Anhui, Sichuan and Hunan. The tea is made from carefully picked new buds, which are then piled and left so that the heat generated from the natural oxidation stage dries them out and prevents any further decomposition. As the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down, they obtain a unique taste with a sweet, honey-like aroma. Finally, the batch is roasted. Yellow tea is always in whole-leaf form, which means that the tea leaves are not crushed or cut.
It is yellow to gold in colour, which is true for both the leaves and the infusion.
Yellow tea has a beneficial effect on health as it contains a wealth of antioxidants. These, for instance, fight the ageing process and help prevent cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
Historically, in ancient China, yellow teas were produced purely for the emperor and his court.
One teaspoon of the leaves makes one cup of tea (150 ml). Pour water at around 80°C over the yellow tea and leave it to steep for three minutes. The leaves can be used to make several infusions.
