Tea: 2026 Huoshan Big Yellow (黄大茶) Type: Yellow Tea, Orthodox Yellowing, Wet Fermentation Harvest: May, 2026 Region: Jinjishan Village, Huoshan County, China Producer: Chen Lifeng Tasting Notes: Stone Fruit, Barley, Earthy, Vegetal.
This second iteration of our Golden Cock yellow tea cake is a yellow tea for yellow tea drinkers. It is called "Golden Cock" in honor of the mountain and village most associated with Huoshan yellow tea. The material is, more tender, less roasted and less oxidized than the 2023 material we used last year. In pick, it rides along the edge between Huangxiaocha and Big Yellow. After steaming and pressing, it tastes greener than any Big Yellow we have carried before, but this will change in the months to come. Whereas the first iteration of this cake was roasty and toasty, this is a much more fruity tea.
This is a tea you should enjoy Gongfu style, in your favorite gaiwan or teapot. We encourage you to try shorter infusions so you can see how the interplay develops between more mineral or earthy notes and sometimes tart, and more vegetal edges. Unlike with our Yellow Kukicha, this is not a tea that is static between the first rinse and last infusion, but develops into its full richness only by the 3rd infusion.
The special sample that will go out with these 150 cakes or (30 tongs), is our attempt to both protect the past and find the future of yellow tea. With the help of volunteers(Pedro & Xu), and the patient guidance of Chen Lifeng and several villagers in Golden Chicken Mountain, we have made two batches of hand-picked, pan-roasted, kneaded, and smothered yellow tea that will, in the future, be candidates for pressing. If you buy a cake or tong of 2026 Golden Cock, you will receive an exclusive sample of one of these batches:
Batch 1: 10 days of total yellowing, 2 electric roastings + 1 charcoal roasting, higher-temp kill-green. Using late July leaves and thorough 2-hour charcoal roasting, this tea won the recognition of all the villagers and township locals who tried it. It is as close of an approximation to the Summertime Big Yellow as can now be found on the market.
Batch 2: 5 days of total yellowing, 2 election roastings + 1 round of sun drying, lower-temp kill-green. Using mid-August material, this pick was undertaken on the very last day of the traditional picking season here. With a mind to make more pressed, ageable yellow teas, we have tried to process this tea as close to raw Puer tea as possible.
Aromatically pairs with any bullshit I have to deal with and a nice way to reward myself for doing do. Lots of great mileage drinking it Grandpa Style. Nutty (like me) and rich ?not like me).
Unfortunately not quite to my taste, I feel like it's just a bit light. However! If you brew Riptide really aggressively, like 9g/100 100°C 30+sec, then you'll get straight hibiscus tea.
Ugh, where do I even start ! Thick, juicy, stemmy, like a wonderful thick red wine or delicious pipe tobacco. Aged jujube, gozi berry, date, cedar, and just old forest energy from this massive brick that will last you a while. Brick is tightly pressed but, once you've found the right place with your tea knife, it's super easy to grab large chunks.
I was drinking this tea with a friend of mine and here's their verdict (paraphrased lol)
This tea has a clarifying quality to it. It's refreshing in a way that is very soothing to the senses: calming sleep, soothing aches, and relaxing eyes. The reserved sweetness feels natural and light, transporting you to the place where it is grown.
My personal opinion: This tea is awesome. Very refreshing, smooth to the taste, and lasts for many cups! Pairs nicely with just sitting around. You can relax with a tea like this.
