2020 Zi Juan

Zi Juan, or “Purple Beauty” is an uncommon cultivar developed by the Yunnan Tea Research Institute, hybridizing natural mutant purple leaf plants called Zi Ya or “Purple Bud” from Yunnan and Wuyi Shan. Our Zi Juan comes from 2nd and 3rd generation clones, fermented in small batches. These leaves contain anthocyanin pigments, a subclass of flavonoid phytochemicals that possess antioxidative and antimicrobial properties, that are also commonly found in berries, grapes, and leafy vegetables.

This tea is a little slow to open, so make sure to use hot water and a slightly longer rinse. After pouring the water out, keep the lid on to steam the leaves a bit which will help the opening process. A very woody tea with strong minerality, that tends to dry out the mouth with some astringency and bitterness like baking chocolate but leaves some hui gan behind, mellowing into a gentle sweet, like blackberry preserves. The qi is very grounded and focused.

Tastes include: Wood, Blackberry Preserves, Baking Chocolate