Hand Rolled Purple

Hand Rolled Purple is Kenya's best tea. Brewing it takes care, it behaves and tastes most like a green tea. Keep your water below 170°, or else it turns bitter. Steeped at 3 minutes, this tea tastes crisp and dry, with a prominent juniper note. At 2 minutes, the cup is smoother and sweeter, with the same nuance you'd expect from white tea: fruity and floral, with a nice medium-bodied feel. Re-steep these large leaves; some people enjoy the second steep even better than the first.

Developed over 30 years ago, purple tea is a hybrid cross between Camellia sinensis and local Kenyan plants. Purple tea thrives in Kenya, withstanding frost and drought better than conventional tea plants. Despite the challenges of a changing climate, Kenyan farmers can grow this hardy tea. The tea continues to develop more complex and delicious flavor every year as the plants mature.

Due to anthocyanins (purple pigment) found in the leaf, purple tea has enormous antioxidant and antibacterial properties. In addition, purple tea is purported to have anti-aging and appetite suppressant qualities. Kenyan plants contribute these specific characteristics, crossed with the tea plant's already impressive health benefits.

Read more about our trip to the purple tea farm.