Can someone identify this tea plz

[GoTea]

Hi, I just recieved this from a freind who has returned from China. I am new to pu-er teas but did try a few shengs when I was there. Could anyone help me by telling me what this cake is and how to brew it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28480186@N04/4414014456/

[jktea]

It is the Zijuan(紫娟) one of the tea species mutation found in late 1985 by Yunnan Tea Rearch Institute. All its bud, leaves and stalks are purple. The spotlight of this tea lies in its high anthocyanidins. But this tea specie is middle & small leaves tea variety, with high aroma, but thin tea soup and strong bitterness and astrigency. This tea right now is normally used to be the counterfeit of purple bud Pu Er tea, due to its similarity.

There is another tea which is extremely similar with Zijuan, but it is natural growing and exisiting from ancient time till now; Its name is Ziya(purple bud,紫芽）。 It is one of the oldest tea varity in Yunnan province.

Purple-bud Pu Er tea is made from the tender single bud of the wild, purple-bud Pu Er tea trees maocha. This tea is called three-color tea; this means the fresh buds on the tea trees are purple, the dried tea is shiny dark, and the infused tea leaves are green for the first one or two years; if aged for several years, its tea buds will change to dark purple with pleasing aged, sweet aroma. The purple-bud Pu Er tea tree is actually a rare tea tree variety in the Yunnan large-leaf tea trees and is famous for its high health benefits, high percentage of anthocyanidins, and amino acids, particularly tea polyphenols.

The most distinguished character of purple bud Pu Er tea lies in its tea bud with no tea hair or tea saw at both sides. Its aroma is unique, wild flowery fragrance mixed with light honey taste.

For purple bud pictures reference here.


purple bud infused tea leaves


purple bud tea soup of 2009

[debunix]

The most distinguished character of purple bud Pu Er tea lies in its tea bud with no tea hair or tea saw at both sides.

Thanks for the information about the purple bud tea. I have a Haiwan purple bud beeng and have not looked carefully at the infused leaves. Now feeling a need for some gong fu brewed purple bud tea, to study the leaves and take some photos of my own.

I'm learning a lot from your posts.

[debunix]

This is my 2005 Haiwan purple bud puerh, in the beeng, showing a relatively smooth leaf without a lot of down:



and the liquor is a similar color to yours:



but the leaves are more irregular and broken, definitely not nice uniform young buds or leaves (some of what I used was the fines when I broke a piece off the beeng):



Some of the leaves do have a darker red-brown hue after infusion, but they're not purple like those above. They do have relatively smooth edges to the leaves.

[jktea]

I think Debunix tea is from Haiwan tea factory. Actually it is not purple bud Pu Er tea. Most likely it is Zijuan or Zicha(purple tea). A very simple way to distinguish wild purple bud Pu Er tea trees is: the tea is composed of buds only; its tea buds have no hair and tea saws.

Here is the first batch of Purple bud Pu Er tea from Wenshan mountain, Jinggu county, made in 2002 by private Pu Er collector.

2002 first batch of Purple bud Pu Er tea.


Tea soup


Infused tea leaves, check how shiney or its tea oil.



This tea changes very fast for only 8 years old under dry storage in Guangzhou. It is always pleasant to drink it.

[debunix]

I think Debunix tea is from Haiwan tea factory.

You're right, I copied the name wrong when I first labeled the storage bag.

Actually it is not purple bud Pu Er tea. Most likely it is Zijuan or Zicha(purple tea).

That was my impression, compared to another 'bud' puerh I have, which is clearly composed of buds--looks like silver needle after infusion.

Fortunately, it is still a nice enough to drink. As always, there is more to learn about tea. Now I have a clear impression of what a bud puerh should look like.

[TomVerlain]

Nice pics and information...

Are there any big name producers that use the "real" purple bud ? IE, any easily commercially available stuff to reccomend ?