What a blessed opportunity to secure some raw purple leaf for a 2022 pressing of our ongoing best seller, Wild Monk! This beloved 100-gram cake is made from purple leaf and it reigns in a category all its own. Similar in flavor profile to oolong, it plays in the lighter realms, pleasant, sweet, tang on the tongue with sour notes akin to that of a grape peel. High in anthocyanins, it embodies the same beneficial compounds found in blueberries, eggplant, purple grapes and other blue, purple or dark red foods. It's a winner for it's multi-faceted expressions and consistent cha chi.

This particular pu'er is very special in that it was picked from tea trees grown entirely in the wild, surrounded by all the native floral and fauna, exposed to nothing but clean air, high altitude, healthy rain and sunshine. Grown in Yong De in the Yunnan province in China, this special tea is packed with goodness. The tea grows quite dark, almost purple as it has adapted to the high levels in sunshine in order to protect itself from the UV rays. For us humans that means that we get a tea that is higher in antioxidants than other teas.

See the blog post with more info on purple leaf tea and be sure to check out this leaf as a mao cha, as well!

Steamed and pressed for us on 6/7/2022. Young purple leaf tea can play toward the bitter/astringent side if hot water and long steeps are used. If you are uncertain whether purple leaf tea is for you, please try a one ounce sample rather than purchasing an entire cake.