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Cameron B. drank Huo Shan Huang Ya Yellow Tea by Teavivre

3986 tasting notes

Sealed sample packet from a swap. I’m not sure who this was from, I’m guessing either Arby or Kawaii433? Thank you, whoever it was!

I’ve only ever had one other yellow tea, and it looked very different from this one. This looks like a green tea, with thin needle-like leaves. Their dry scent reminded me strongly of white tea, with light and creamy oat and hay notes.

WOW, holy crap this is delicious. It’s blowing my mind right now.

This has such a crazily nutty flavor up front, and it reminds me of deliciously roasted-but-still-creamy cashews or perhaps almonds. It also reminds me of roasted soybeans, which is a flavor that I really enjoy. There are also some soft grainy notes, like chewing on sweet raw oats. Underlying these is a sweet vegetal flavor with the deep spinach notes of a sencha, maybe with some bok choy and fresh edamame mixed in. Overall, it has a lovely thick and silky creaminess, both in flavor and mouthfeel. A hint of minerality also makes an appearance at the end of the sip, along with a clear, refreshing sweetness.

Scrumptious tea! Going on the wishlist! The end.

Flavors: Almond, Bok Choy, Creamy, Grain, Mineral, Nuts, Oats, Peas, Roasted Nuts, Smooth, Soybean, Spinach, Sweet, Thick, Vegetal

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

I Like This

13 likes

4 comments

Mastress Alita
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I’ve never had yellow tea. This review makes it sound like I should fix that sometime…

derk
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I haven’t had Teavivre’s, but this style of yellow tea and one that What-Cha carries, China Guizhou yellow tea, are both very flavorful and approachable.

gmathis
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I have some yellow tea (not this variety), but haven’t been able to coax too much flavor out of it yet…if this is the end result of proper steeping, I will persist.

derk
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gmathis: is yours a Meng Ding yellow tea? I had one of that variety and it was one of the most flavorless teas I’ve had.

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Comments

Mastress Alita
Delete

I’ve never had yellow tea. This review makes it sound like I should fix that sometime…

derk
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I haven’t had Teavivre’s, but this style of yellow tea and one that What-Cha carries, China Guizhou yellow tea, are both very flavorful and approachable.

gmathis
Delete

I have some yellow tea (not this variety), but haven’t been able to coax too much flavor out of it yet…if this is the end result of proper steeping, I will persist.

derk
Delete

gmathis: is yours a Meng Ding yellow tea? I had one of that variety and it was one of the most flavorless teas I’ve had.

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing