Purple Gold

About the tea

Purple Gold is a 2025 red tea from Ailao Shan made from naturally purple leaves. It should not be confused with R-10. Both teas begin with purple plant material, but R-10 uses buds while R-39 uses leaves. That difference in plucking material—not merely the colour of the fresh growth—is the central idea of this lot. It offers a useful introduction to purple tea material in a leaf-based format and invites a direct comparison between two genuinely different plucking standards.

Origin and production

Purple Gold comes from Ailao Shan, was harvested in 2025, and is made from naturally purple leaves. Purple coloration in tea leaves is associated with anthocyanin pigments, but colour alone does not determine the finished tea type. R-39 is a red tea, so withering, rolling, oxidation, and drying shape its final character.

Brewing

Gongfu. Begin with 5 g per 100 ml in a gaiwan or small teapot, using water at 90 °C. Rinsing is optional. Steep the first infusion for about 8 seconds, then add roughly 5 seconds each round, adjusting for body and astringency. Six to eight infusions are a practical starting range.

Simple steeping. Use 3 g per 250 ml at 90 °C and steep for 3 minutes. Increase the second infusion to 4–5 minutes. If the leaf produces more astringency than desired, try a shorter steep or slightly cooler water.

Session impression

This tea is most interesting not as simply “another purple tea,” but as the leaf-based counterpart to the bud-based R-10. A comparative session can reveal the role of raw material without relying on broad theoretical promises.

Storage

Keep the tea tightly sealed in a dry, dark place at a stable room temperature. Store it away from coffee, spices, incense, and perfume. Refrigeration is unnecessary. For longer storage, consider keeping a small working quantity in a separate container so the main supply is not repeatedly exposed to air and ambient odours.