Rare white Peruvian cacao teamed up with a rich and earthy Pu’erh tea. A rich cup with silky chocolate mousse texture.
From the beautiful green hills of Yunnan Province and the river canyons of northern Peru, we have taken two rare ingredients - soft and earthy Pu’erh tea leaves (pronounced poo-air), and rich white Nacional cacao bean - to produce this exotic and healthy tea experience.
The cacao grows at the head waters of the Amazon River in the remote Marañón River Canyon of northern Peru. It is a rare strain of cacao that is so high in butter fat it appears “white.” In 1919, all but one of these delicate trees were devastated by natural disaster and thought to be extinct. But, from this one tree, local farmers grafted a stand of several hundred trees that now thrive. We import our Peruvian cacao from these farms in Marañón canyon and farms in Tumbes, Peru.
The tea gets its name from a town in Southern Yunnan named Pu’erh, where it originated. While traveling through, we met the owner of one of the oldest tea plantations in the Yunnan area. This kind and gracious tea master introduced us to the methods used to produce Pu’erh tea. The process is different than that which produces black and oolong tea, (which leaves are only oxidized) - the leaves of Pu’erh are allowed to age and ferment. This fermentation process creates a cup with almost no astringency and deep rich body. It also produces micro-organisms which are being shown to have many health benefits.
Antioxidant level: Medium
Caffeine meter: Medium