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The name directly translates as “Purple Buds”, describing the wild purple shoots picked in early spring. Their natural color and rarity make this tea unique among white teas.
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It comes from wild Yunnan tea trees, not cultivated plantations. The purple pigment (anthocyanin) gives the buds their distinctive look and contributes to the tea’s floral, lightly fruity taste. Its wild origin and rarity make it highly prized.
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Clear golden liquor; smooth and light body; notes of orchid, wildflowers, and gentle pine; clean and lingering sweetness.
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Yabao refers to the tightly closed tea buds collected in early spring before the leaves unfold. They are often from wild or old tea trees, processed naturally, and yield a light, elegant tea with floral fragrance and subtle sweetness.
Recommended Gongfu Brewing Method
Recommended Teaware:
Porcelain gaiwan.
Water Temperature:
70-80 °C
Brewing Instructions:
Tea-to-water ratio: 1 g per 30 ml (1:30).
Example: 5 g for a 150 ml gaiwan.First infusion: ~50 seconds at 70-80 °C
Subsequent infusions: Add ~10 seconds each round.
Purple Yabao can be brewed 5–6 times, with floral fragrance and gentle sweetness lasting through multiple infusions.
Essential Info
Chinese Name: 紫芽苞 (Simplified & Traditional)
Region: Yunnan Province, China
Harvest Time: Spring 2024
Description:
Purple Yabao is a wild white tea made from purple-tinted spring buds of Yunnan tea trees. Naturally withered and dried, it brews into a clear golden liquor with orchid-like fragrance, subtle pine freshness, and a clean, lingering sweetness. Rare and naturally beautiful, it showcases the elegance of wild white tea.
Tasting Profile:
Color: Clear golden
Body: Smooth, refined, light
Notes: Orchid, wildflowers, subtle pine, gentle sweetness
Finish: Clean, elegant, lingering