Yellow Mao Feng

From Huo Mountain (Huo Shan) in Anhui Province. The very rare and precious yellow teas were considered tributes to the Emperor during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The finest batches are harvested and processed before the Qingming Festival.

The hot leaves are gently steamed for 30 seconds to remove enzymes, then immediately covered with a cloth so the steam can work its magic. This extra "softening" process is what distinguishes yellow tea from green tea, as the subsequent steps for preparing green tea are the same.