Yunnan Yellow

This tea from Mt. Yunpan deserves a category all of its own. What has been called “yellow” in recent productions of the Yunnan diaspora is actually, not quite. If anything, it is an extremely light oxidation black tea process. Undergoing ever-brief solar withering, gentle rolling to coax flavor, then, while still less than a fifth along the total oxidative spectrum, halted by baking before being dried. The russet and grey-green tones offset by lustrous yellows of the buds and browns and blacks of the leaves make for a lovely, commendable cup with light-medium body and plush mouthfeel.