Golden Echo

Spring in Pu’er moves quickly, and the best lots catch that brief moment when tenderness and aroma meet. This Yunnan yellow tea from the south-facing side of Ma Wei Mountain above Simao was picked in late April when cool nights slow growth and let sugars and amino acids build. Elevation around 1 300 m keeps daytime heat gentle and preserves volatile aromatics you taste as clean florals and a round, lingering sweetness. The pick standard is tight — two leaves and a bud — and the leaf is handled lightly so the liquor stays a clear yellow-gold rather than coppery. Expect gardenia and fresh grain to open, then a calm thread of cocoa husk and sugarcane through later steeps. Made from Yunkang #10, a tea plant variety selected in Yunnan for a balance of fragrance and structure, this is a rare look at Yunnan yellow tea in full spring voice: elegant, steady, and easy to enjoy.

Mawei Hills

Ma Wei Mountain sits just west of Pu’er City, a patchwork of red soils, pine woods, and long-tended gardens stepping up the slopes. The south aspect matters — early sun dries the morning dew fast, while softer afternoon light shields tender shoots from heat that can push bitterness. At roughly 1 300 m, nights run cool and days even, so leaves grow slowly and hold more soluble sweetness. You feel that as plush mid-palate weight rather than sharp green bite. Late-April picking is deliberate. It lands after the ultra-tender first sprout, giving enough leaf to carry body, yet before May warmth flattens floral lift. In the cup, the site reads as clarity and poise: a faint mineral line from iron-rich soils, bright aromatics that hover over the liquor, and a clean, golden color that signals careful control from garden to final firing.

Tender Pluck

Material quality starts in the field. This lot keeps a fine two-leaves-and-a-bud standard, a shape that releases aroma quickly while keeping tannins modest. Yunkang #10 supplies quiet backbone without losing lift — early cups show white-flower perfume and fresh cereal, while middle infusions bring honeyed grain with a gentle cocoa echo. Look at the leaves and you see intent: slender, satin-green dry needles with pale gold edging. Once infused, they unfurl olive-green rather than brown, a visual cue that oxidation was held short. Bushes here are mature but not old, which favors consistency over drama. The result is a measured profile that welcomes repeat drinking. Because the harvest window is narrow and picking is selective, volume stays small each spring — a soft scarcity tied to season and craft, not hype.

Yellow craft

Yellow tea means green-lean body with a brief warm “rest” that rounds edges. In Yunnan, where pu’er and malty reds dominate, this path is uncommon and takes restraint. Fresh leaf receives a short sun-wither to relax cell walls, a measured rolling to open them, and only a light oxidation before the warm rest. Final drying fixes the yellow-gold liquor without drifting into toast. Those choices explain the cup — brighter than a Dian hong, smoother and less grassy than a straight green. You’ll taste osmanthus-like florals, young stonefruit, and warm millet early on. By the third and fourth pours, texture turns silky and a soft cocoa-husk note hums underneath. The aftertaste is clean and cooling, with sugarcane sweetness that lingers. In a year when spring moved fast, this Ma Wei Shan Huang Cha captures balance — site, season, and patient touch aligned — offering a refined daily cup with real place.

FAQ

How is yellow tea different from green tea here?
Yellow tea adds a brief warm rest after light oxidation. That step softens edges and deepens sweetness, giving a golden liquor that tastes rounder than typical green tea.

Why choose Yunkang #10 for this lot?
This tea plant variety is valued for steady vigor and a balanced cup. It supports floral lift while providing enough structure for a silky, composed finish.

Why is Yunnan yellow tea rare?
Local tradition focuses on pu’er and red teas. Yellow tea demands careful moderation at each stage, so fewer makers pursue it. Short spring windows also limit volume.