There are many ways and reasons to consume tea. Chixotic Tea is a tea company that wants to bring tea joy to tea lovers everywhere in the form of purple tea. Chixotic Tea also focuses on the three Es: Ethical Sourcing, Empowerment, and Environmental Sustainability. They only work with tea farms that ensure ethical standards for work conditions, pay, and the like. They focus on empowerment by donating a portion of their profits to no-profits including ones that give financial assistance to low-income entrepreneurs and students in over 80 countries as well as assisting women and children in African communities and countries with mental health issues. Environmental Sustainability is achieved by ensuring that suppliers are rainforest-alliance certified which enforces ecosystem conservation, water and soil conservation, waste reduction, agrochemical reduction and wildlife protection. They sent me their Purple Tranquilitea tea to taste and review. Before I get into that, I wanted to do a slight low-down of what exactly purple tea is (to be honest, I hadn’t even heard of purple tea until about a year ago).
You have definitely heard of black, green, or oolong tea, but what is purple tea? “Purple Tea is a varietal of the camellia sinensis va assamica plant.” Oh, it would be good to mention (for those confused) that the tea that we all love (based on the kind) can come from two varieties of plants Camellia sinensis var. sinensis (usually from China), Camellia Sinensis Cambodiensis (technically this one is not usually used in tea production, but is good to note), and Camellia sinensis var. assamica (usually from Assam, India). Purple tea is known to have a high concentration of polyphenols and anthocyanins, making it almost like a super tea.
Analyzation of the Tea:
Purple Tranquilitea: The aroma of the tea though is quite unique and interesting, and reminded me of a smell that I could not put my finger on. It had an almost ripe and dried aroma, with hints of sweetness and fruitiness. This tea claims to be a smooth and mellow flavor, which I 100% agree with. The taste of the tea itself has a mostly mellow flavor (no astringency) with a little burst of flavor near the end of the sip. In that flavor burst, I think I am rather indifferent to the taste of the tea and could see me drinking it to reap the benefits that this tea supposedly has. It has a heightened amount of antioxidants, packed with polyphenols and anthocyanins.
I have a small update after doing this initial review above. Shortly after doing this review, I noticed that I was getting sick and it just downward spiraled after that. I needed a boost in my immune system (as soon as possible) so I brought out my large 3 cup mugs (thank you to my sister for that) and started brewing this tea. One of the symptoms that I was feeling was a muggy and sore head, I will say that drinking this tea did help clear my head a bit and helped my throat feel less swollen. I also realized that I did not mind the mild taste, mostly because my taste buds were sort of screwed up anyways. I think this tea will definitely be a go-to when I am sick or starting to feel sick. I was surprised with how much I ended feeling better after drinking more of the tea. I do not know if it was the need to be hydrated or the boost in antioxidants, but I was feeling much better after drinking the tea for a bit.
Origin: 100% Purple Tea – Kenya
Claimed Health Benefits: Reduce the risk of cancer, prevent cardiovascular diseases, enhance cognitive function, boost the immune system, and stimulate metabolism
Analyzation of the Pricing:
The pricing of this tea is $24.99 for 60 ounces of Kenyan whole-leaf purple tea. It also can be steeped up to three times (in which every steeping will get you those lovely health benefits). I do believe that this tea mostly fairly priced; the consumer is getting quite a large quantity of loose leaf tea for the price. My opinion was further solidified by the impact that this company has on communities and their generosity to non-profits.
Analyzation of the Packaging:
The packing was fairly nice. I really enjoyed the branding and the fluidity of the branding throughout their whole tea pouch (their purple and gold theme). I did not notice any aroma leaking out of the bag, so they definitely passed my initial packaging testing!
I hope you enjoyed this tea review and a brief lesson on purple tea. Also, a slight update: I brewed three cups of the purple tea, and (this may be related, maybe not) I was feeling significantly better when and after drinking the tea. The next day I was able to function in school to the best of my abilities. Could have been the tea. It could have just been my body finally getting sleep. Happy Brewing!
-Danielle