February 11, 2026 - Tea
If you haven't tried a purple varietal tea, you're missing out. Purple Needle Black Tea from Jing Mai Mountain is one of my favorites — a Yunnan black tea made from rare purple-leaf tea trees that taste unlike anything else in the black tea world.
The purple color comes from anthocyanin, the same pigment found in blueberries and red cabbage. At high altitude on Jing Mai Mountain in Lancang County, Yunnan Province, intense UV radiation pushes certain tea trees (known locally as "Zi Cha") to produce purple buds and young leaves as a natural sunscreen. Only about 1-2% of all tea trees in the region carry this mutation, making the raw material genuinely scarce.
The leaves are harvested in late April and processed into a flat needle shape — hence the name. The finished tea is dark, almost black, with tiny golden shoots visible throughout. It's a beautiful tea to look at before it even hits the water.
The liquor brews up a deep red-orange with hints of purple, remarkably clear. The aroma is floral with a distinct grapefruit note. The taste is citrusy, fruity-sweet, and vibrant — it has a liveliness that sets it apart from other Yunnan blacks (Dian Hong). There's none of the heavy maltiness you might expect; instead it's bright and clean.
I keep it simple: about 5g of leaf in a gaiwan, 195°F water, short steeps starting around 10 seconds and adding time as you go. It holds up well for 5-6 infusions. It's also perfectly fine brewed Western-style in a mug — just use a little less leaf and steep for 3-4 minutes.
If you want to try it, Yunnan Sourcing is where I get mine.
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