Ah, the Golden Peony, we can't think of a better name for this passionate floral Yan Cha with no holding back of its beauty.
Jin Mu Dan is the name of the cultivar of this tea. Just as Chardonnay is named after the grape cultivar of the same name, the same logic applies for many Yan Chas. The Golden Peony is the national flower of China.
This cultivar has very fine tannins, soft and full-body. Combined with its rich but not aggressive aroma, it is highly desired in high-end Da Hong Pao to texturize the blend and elevate the midrange notes.
Yan Cha tea is made with only the leaves, making it one of the latest teas to be harvested each year, with Ban Yan picking time around early to mid-April and Zheng Yan early May. After the teas are sufficiently wilted, they remain on bamboo trays for a few hours before being shaken or tumbled to manage enzyme activity. This step regulates how the water inside the leaves travels outward. The process is repeated every hour, 5-8 times throughout the evening and night until morning. Once the teas are acceptably fermented in the early morning, they are then wok-fried to kill the enzymes in the leaves to stop the fermentation. Fresh out of the wok when the leaves are still hot and soft, they are rolled vigorously to break the surface membranes to bring out more consistent flavors in the tea. The most tedious step in all Chinese tea making is the stem-picking step, which in Yan Cha's case takes place for several months following the rough tea making. It is a step where undesired yellow leaves (old leaves) and stems are picked out by hand. The "cleaned" tea is then roasted on very dim charcoal ash for 8–12 hours, 1-3 times depending on the varietal, to make it a finished Yan Cha.
