kenya purple tea

type: black

origin: kenya

caffeine: medium

price level: $$$$

Purple Tea is grown in Kenya and is remarkable for a number of reasons. It is a varietal of the Camellia sinensis var. assamica leaf and the only known cultivar to contain anthocyanin, the flavonoid responsible for giving blueberries and pomegranates their purplish color. The leaves start out green and flush to a purple color as they mature. The leaf is not only a purple hue, but uniquely steeps to a light golden brew with a purple tint that visually intensifies with an added squeeze of lemon. It rightly does not belong in any other tea category, so the new category purple tea was created specifically for it. Purple tea is grown at high elevations (6000+ feet). Although the Tea Research Foundation of Kenya developed this cultivar over 25 years ago, it wasn’t until 2011 that the first seedlings were planted. Small-scale farmers had to be convinced to make a commitment to nurture the gardens for a full five years without any monetary return, which is the time it takes for the plants to reach maturity and be ready for initial harvest and production. Standards of plucking two leaves and a bud are strictly adhered to. Only the best leaves are used in purple tea’s small batch production. When you purchase Purple Tea you benefit Kenyan farmers, helping to provide new opportunities of sustainable growth and employment for their families and communities.