Organic Purple Bamboo Black

From the first sip, the sweet floral character of the tea is engaging and inviting. The initial overall impression is “bright and fresh.” The cup is a light – medium amber, with medium body. Even so, there is some depth here, offering a bouquet of orchards and sweet berries.This organic Black is a standout value. It makes an easy, friendly cup that doesn’t require any tea knowledge to appreciate it. On closer inspection, the backstory only shows how well teas can express a sense of place and the intent that drives the crafting.

Alas, the dry leaves are not purplish. The purple coloring is attributable to anthocyanin. A quick search shows that this is a type of flavonoid with antioxidant effects that exists in nature. This pigment yields hues from red to purple and is responsible for the color of blueberries and currants, as examples.

For many years tea leaves naturally tinged with violet were tossed together with other plucking for Puer. The interest in dedicating production and processing possibilities was more recent. Our Organic Purple Bamboo Black is one such example, produced exclusively from purplish leaves. The lovely flavor described, however, was not naturally guaranteed by the cultivar. The fact that it was not very distinctive probably relegated those leaves to a “not 1st rate” category – – – until researchers found a way to bring out features inherent in the cultivar and process it as a special Black tea.

Use 1 generous tsp. dried leaf (3-4g) per 6-ounce cup of spring water. Pour boiling water over leaves and steep 4 minutes.