Yuncha Technology
Zi Juan Purple Leaf Shu Puer, 2024
Weight
Zi Juan is a unique purple-leaf tea cultivar developed by a national research institute in Yunnan Province. It is often referred to as "purple" tea because it is one of the rare Camellia sinensis varieties that naturally has purple leaves, owing to anthocyanin levels that are 2–4 times higher, along with elevated amounts of catechins and other compounds.
It was first bred in 1985, with refinement continuing into the 2000s. In 2016, the Yuncha Technology factory under the Tea Research Institute secured a patent for this cultivar. In total, no more than 2,000 of these cakes are produced each year.
The first thing you notice is the deep black color of the leaves and the very tight compression. Nevertheless, the tea's aroma can be perceived even in the pressed cake. Taking in the scent of the warmed leaves reveals notes of rice, honey, chocolate-covered prunes, and even grapes.
The liquor is just as dense as the cake's compression. Flavor notes intertwine tightly, building a solid wall of taste: wood and chocolate, plum sweetness, coffee bitterness, a hint of rice, tobacco tanginess, and a subtle spiciness that is hard to decipher. And all of that in a single steep! You will hardly find such density of flavor in any other puer.
At a certain point, a sudden wave of invigorating energy washes over you, as if you snapped your eyes open and woke from sleep. Warmth spreads through the body, the mind becomes clear, and your mood lifts.
- Kind
- Shu puer
- Year
- 2024
- Producer
- Yuncha Technology
- Origin
- China / Yunnan
- Locality
- Yunnan
- Tea type
- Factory
Description
Zi Juan is a unique purple-leaf tea cultivar developed by a national research institute in Yunnan Province. It is often referred to as "purple" tea because it is one of the rare Camellia sinensis varieties that naturally has purple leaves, owing to anthocyanin levels that are 2–4 times higher, along with elevated amounts of catechins and other compounds.
It was first bred in 1985, with refinement continuing into the 2000s. In 2016, the Yuncha Technology factory under the Tea Research Institute secured a patent for this cultivar. In total, no more than 2,000 of these cakes are produced each year.
The first thing you notice is the deep black color of the leaves and the very tight compression. Nevertheless, the tea's aroma can be perceived even in the pressed cake. Taking in the scent of the warmed leaves reveals notes of rice, honey, chocolate-covered prunes, and even grapes.
The liquor is just as dense as the cake's compression. Flavor notes intertwine tightly, building a solid wall of taste: wood and chocolate, plum sweetness, coffee bitterness, a hint of rice, tobacco tanginess, and a subtle spiciness that is hard to decipher. And all of that in a single steep! You will hardly find such density of flavor in any other puer.
At a certain point, a sudden wave of invigorating energy washes over you, as if you snapped your eyes open and woke from sleep. Warmth spreads through the body, the mind becomes clear, and your mood lifts.