Junshan Yinzhen
Junshan Yinzhen is a bud-only yellow tea from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, Hunan, made with a menhuang sealed-yellowing step that gives a mellow sweetness.
Definition
Junshan Yinzhen ("Junshan silver needle") comes from Junshan Island in Dongting Lake, near Yueyang in northeastern Hunan province. It is one of China's best-known yellow teas and has a long history as a tribute tea. Only plump, unopened buds are used, picked in a short window in early spring. Processing follows the yellow tea sequence: the buds are lightly heated to stop enzymatic activity, then wrapped and kept warm in a sealed-yellowing step (menhuang), dried, and wrapped again. These cycles take several days and give the buds a golden-yellow color and a soft, sweet, corn-like and slightly nutty flavor with little grassiness. The tea is known for a visual effect when brewed in a glass: the buds stand vertically in the water, rising and sinking several times before settling. Genuine Junshan production is tiny because the island is small, and many teas sold under the name come from elsewhere in Hunan or are processed as green tea. Prices for genuine leaf are high.
In Depth
Brew in a tall glass at 75-85°C (167-185°F): about 3 g of buds to 150-200 ml, poured gently down the side of the glass. Wait 2-3 minutes for the buds to sink and stand, then drink and top up. A gaiwan also works with 4 g per 100 ml and 1-minute infusions.
Real Junshan Yinzhen buds are golden-yellow with fine down, not bright green. Bright green buds and a grassy taste suggest a green tea processed without full yellowing. Buyers looking for a typical yellow tea profile should look for a yellow-tinted liquor and a smooth, sweet taste.
Unlike white Silver Needle, which is withered and not heated, Junshan Yinzhen is heat-treated and yellowed, so the two bud teas taste distinctly different despite similar names.
See Also
- Hunan Tea
- Chinese Tribute Teas
- Glass Brewing