Huoshan Yellow Bud霍山黄芽
small-leaf bud · Huoshan County, Anhui, China
Huoshan Yellow Bud is a small-leaf bud yellow tea from Huoshan County, Anhui, China. Brew it at 85°C with 4g of leaf per 100ml of water; expect up to 5 short infusions in a small gaiwan or teapot. No rinse needed.
Quick facts
- Origin
- Huoshan County, Anhui, China
- Category
- Yellow tea
- Cultivar
- Huoshan local cultivars
- Oxidation
- light
- Roast
- light
- Water temp
- 85°C
- Leaf ratio
- 4g / 100ml
- Infusions
- up to 5
- Rinse
- No
Tasting notes
Huoshan Huang Ya is the yellow tea that teaches you what men-huang actually does. Drink it next to a similar-priced green from Anhui and the difference is obvious: the sharp grassy top that makes green tea bright and a little aggressive has been sanded off. What's left is sweet pea, warm chestnut, a faint toasted-grain undertone, and a clean vegetal register without any bite. At 80°C it drinks almost like sugar water with personality; push to 85°C and a floral layer opens up that most people don't expect from a yellow. The leaves are small and they exhaust quickly — five or six infusions and the cup is tired, so don't plan a long session around this one. A glass gaiwan is worth it here because the buds really do stand up and settle while the tea steeps, and watching it is part of the practice. Cheap Huoshan just tastes like mild green tea. You'll know.
Flavor profile
Incredibly sweet and refreshing at lower temperatures, with a clean vegetal character that lacks the grassiness of green tea. At warmer temperatures the cup becomes bolder with complex floral tones. The men-huang processing adds a subtle toasty sweetness and removes the sharp, astringent edge found in similar green teas.
Terroir
Dabie Mountains, 600-800m elevation, misty and humid
Cultivar: Huoshan local cultivars
Brewing
- Steep 1: 20 seconds
- Steep 2: 25 seconds
- Steep 3: 30 seconds
- Steep 4: 40 seconds
- Steep 5: 60 seconds
Lower water temperature (80°C) yields a sweeter, more refreshing cup. Higher temps (85-90°C) bring out bolder floral complexity. A glass gaiwan lets you watch the buds dance.
Aroma & taste
Aroma
- chestnut
- orchid
- fresh grass
- toasted grain
Taste
- sweet pea
- chestnut
- floral
- clean vegetal
Processing
- pan-fired
- men-huang (smothered yellowing)
- dried
Sources
- https://sevencups.com/shop/huoshan-huang-ya-yellow-tea/
- https://www.athirstfortea.com/pages/huoshan-huang-ya-preparation
- https://pathofcha.com/products/huo-shan-huang-ya-yellow-tea
- https://www.curioustea.com/tea/yellow-tea/huo-shan-huang-ya/
- https://dominiontea.com/huo-shan-huang-ya/
- https://www.teavivre.com/huo-shan-huang-ya-yellow-tea.html