This is a lightly processed, hand-crafted Wild Purple Leaf Red Tea tea made with leaves from a wild tree purple leaf varietal that grows in Yongde, Lincang. This wild “Ye Sheng” varietal "Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze var. assamica (J. Masters) Kitam." is a primeval varietal that pre-dates Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica and is a naturally occurring non-hybridized varietal.
It is a natural bug repellent that grows wild in the forests of Yunnan at an altitude of 1600-2200 meters. Its strong cha qi arises from its unadulterated nature. It's an incredibly rare tea, in fact only 90 kilograms are made. To preserve its powerful cha qi, these spring 2023 leaves very not as processed like most hong cha.
You'll find they were only very gently roasted over low heat, preserving the wild tree bitterness, aggressive cha qi. The aroma of tea is very strong and hints of eucalyptus and sugarcane. The mouth feel is incredibly complex and stimulating with some slight bitterness and astringency. A fantastic tea to brew as bowl tea!
Origin: Yongde, Lincang, Yunnan, China
Harvest: Spring, 2024
Color of liquor: golden honey orange
Aroma: fruity, honey, eucalyptus, chocolate, leather, baked apples
Flavor: thick, sweet and fruity with light "purple tea" acidity, caramel, rye bread, dark bitter chocolate
Temperature: 95-100º c
Steeping Time: 1min; 1,5min; 2min
