Kenyan Nandi Hills Tumoi Co-op Purple Tea

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This exciting new tea is unlike any the world has seen before!  Selectively bred from wild mutations discovered in China and India, Kenyan Purple Tea is a new varietal created by a decades-long public/private partnership seeking to improve the productivity and profit of Kenyan tea farmers.

This tea is different in two closely-related ways.  Kenya produces lots of tea – today it is the #1 cash crop, beating out coffee! – but it is not easy.  Much nearer to the equator than traditional tea-growing regions in India and China, estates must climb up to higher altitudes to find temperatures suitable for tea bushes.  Higher altitudes lead to higher ultraviolet radiation, and these plants adapt by shielding their leaves with deep purple anthocyanins, the same powerful antioxidants that give blueberries their famous health benefits.  In fact, an equal measure of Kenyan Purple Tea has 15x the amount of anthocyanins as blueberries (by weight – one cup of raw blueberries is much more than the approx 2-6g of dry leaves used to steep one cup of tea).

Combined with other powerful protective antioxidants like catechins and other polyphenols, this means that the second difference is that Kenyan Purple Tea boasts significantly more health benefits than ordinary green or black teas.

Fans of Purple Tea claim that its rich palette of restorative polyphenols has even more cleansing and invigorating powers than regular green teas.  By cleansing damaging “free radical” oxygen atoms out of the body, these healthy chemicals reduce effects of aging and also combat cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, while generally improving nervous system and dental health, reducing inflammation, and clearing cholesterol and plaque out of arteries.

When steeping this whole leaf tea, you will be impressed by the colossal size of the leaves, and charmed by the pale purple-tinged, full-bodied liquor and enticing subtle floral aroma.  Lingering behind the big chlorophyll flavor of this premium green tea, there is a hint of malty and nutty tones reminiscent of black teas, and some delicate apricot and plum notes, similar to a lightly-oxidized oolong.  The astringency level is perfect, feels good in the mouth, dry but sweet.  Distinctly leafy (high chlorophyll content) but not grassy, the novel but mild flavor profile of this fantastic specialty tea will be appreciated by any tea connoisseur!

Steeping Time – 3 minutes

Water Temp – 180 F

Whole leaf Kenyan Purple Tea