2019 Zi Ya “Purple Bud“ Ripe Pu-erh Tea Cake

This pu-erh is the younger brother of our bestselling 2014 MM shu. The same material from 200-year-old purple trees of Myanmar, the same Menghai masters who did the fermentation. They managed to replicate the flavor, practically one-to-one except that the 2019 cakes have a little more chocolate and almonds, but that's subjective.

Pay attention to the ink-black color of the cake, this is how the purple material looks after fermentation. In general, purple ripe pu-erhs are quite rare. And considering the quality of processing and as a result it’s flavor palette, I’d say this tea is rather unique. I have never come across such a profile: chocolate, almonds, dried dates, cherry, rich peat, sandalwood.

This shu wins all the parallel tasting I do for customers at our warehouse. It can be only beaten by the expensive older specimens, which require not only money but also a significant pu-erh experience. People of average and little experience are captivated by this tea immediately and for a long time. And there's no hiding it, I drink it 2-3 times a week myself.

The purple material for shu holds a special awe for me, my “Idle Buffalo” was made from a similar material and I miss that pu-erh dearly as it is completely sold out.

Back to the organoleptics. The flavor is dense, velvety, brimming with almond and chocolate notes, finishing with a sandalwood aftertaste. There is no wateriness in it, which is often found in plantation shu pu-erhs, even if brewed lightly, not to the point of "oil".

The tea is easy-to-drink, it goes smoothly and generously saturates with cha qi. Use a moderate ratio, it has quite a bit of caffeine and holds up well to multiple infusions.

Bottomline, this shu is a beautiful full-bodied tea rich in many flavors. Perfect for both every day drinking and refined tea sessions. With cream cakes this tea goes together like bread and butter!

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