Organic "Yunnan Imperial" Yellow Tea

$3.50 USD

Free shipping over $75 (US only).

Tasting notes

About these tasting notes

These are the tasting notes we and others pick up most often. Palates vary, so you may catch some, all, or different ones — flavor is personal and subjective. Nothing is added: there are no added flavorings in this tea. Any notes you find developed naturally in the tea plant through rediscovered artisanal processing techniques.

Pink Apple Chestnut Hot cocoa Delicate floral hints (wildflowers, honeysuckle)

Effects

About these effects

These are the effects people most often report from this tea. Bodies differ, so treat them as a common guide rather than a promise — most people notice at least one, but what you feel is personal.

Mindfulness Relaxation A small burst of energy

Yellow Tea - top 1% of teas in China

(Huang Cha / 黄茶) is one of the rarest teas in the world. This offering includes the "1 bud, 1 leaf ratio", which is considered a very premium version of this tea.

Historically reserved for the Emperor, this Imperial Grade selection is a lightly oxidized tea (5–25%) processed similarly to green tea, but with a crucial extra step: Men Huang (闷黄), or "sealed yellowing." By resting warm, moist leaves wrapped in cloth or paper under controlled heat and humidity for hours or days, a gentle non-enzymatic reaction occurs. This subtle transformation softens the flavor and removes grassy notes, creating a smooth, naturally sweet, and slightly floral cup with a deep flavor profile reminiscent of oolong. Comprising under 1% of China's total output, yellow tea stands as the single rarest variety among the country's six traditional tea classes.

Notes from Staff: a very high quality yellow tea! This one is a favorite for its incredible aroma and taste. Yellow teas (if processed correctly) can have a lovely, deep flavor, similar to oolong tea. This level of tea can only come from great craftsmanship. A real treat, at a terrific price!

Old Mountain Tea Guarantee

Our teas are guaranteed free from harmful chemicals. We source directly from small, clean family farms that take real pride in their work — no middlemen, no anonymous blends. Many of these teas are bug-bitten, and leafhoppers only feed on gardens grown without pesticides, so the leaf itself is living proof the garden is clean. Every tea is grown to organic standards and traceable to the farm that made it.

Read our full guarantee →

Yellow Tea, Rare TeasOrganic FarmsSmall Batch ProductionHand-harvested & ProcessedNo Added Flavors or Preservatives — Ever!Secure Checkout30-day Returns

Not sure yet? Try a Discovery Set

Origin & Terroir

Cultivar About this cultivar Snow Bud No. 100 (Xue Ya 100 / 雪芽100) is cultivated primarily in Simao, Yunnan from famous "Jingdong Global Tea repository heritage cultivars", this elite Yunnan broad-leaf tea tree grows upright with large, soft oval foliage. Its characteristic long buds feature a dense coating of silver-white down, making it exceptionally well-suited for producing top-tier green, yellow, and white teas.: Xue Ya #100(雪芽100号, literally "Snow Bud No. 100")
Status: Rare
Processing method: Lightly Oxidized - Men Huang Process(闷黄)
Charcoal roast level: 0%

Region: Simao District, Puer, Yunnan, China
Harvest: Spring 2026(Certified Organic: ECO-CERT)
Climate: Misty, Cool, Mountanious
Oxidation level What oxidation level means Oxidation is what turns green tea into oolong or black tea — as leaves are bruised and rested, enzymes react with oxygen and deepen their color and flavor. Green tea sees almost none; oolong ranges widely; black tea is oxidized fully.: (15% · Low)
Picking style Why picking style matters Hand-plucking means workers select each bud and leaf by touch, one at a time — far slower and more expensive than machine harvesting, but gentler on the leaf. As labor costs rise, fewer gardens still pick this way, making hand-plucked tea increasingly rare.: Hand Plucked
Bug-bitten level: 0%