“Classification” of tea leaves
“Classification” of tea leaves
We have all at least once come into contact with a label on a tea package that we didn’t understand. Of course, there are a lot of unusual names, but in this case we talk about “tea grading”(type of tea quality mark/category of tea). The grades talk about are OP, TGFOP, FOP1, and others like that.
For which tea is this used?
Labels/grades like this are used most often for black teas.
However, they can also be used for some green teas. In our stores you can find Assam green (Jongtolliee) TGFOP1.
Grades/labels range from “orange pekoe” (“OP”) to “fannings” or “dust” which are most commonly used for filter bags. These grades are commonly used for teas from Sri Lanka, India and countries other than China. Of course, the quality of tea doesn’t depend only on its label, but also on the harvest season, the soil, the way it was processed, etc.
“WHOLE LEAF”
O.P. (Orange Pekoe)
It consists of whole, unbroken tea leaves. The term “pekoe” refers to the young, tender leaves of the tea plant. These leaves are usually carefully twisted and processed to preserve their integrity, resulting in a visually appealing tea with long, twisted strands.
- O.P.1 (Orange Pekoe 1) stands for OP which is a bit more delicate.
- O.P.A. (Orange Pekoe A) is OP with slightly larger leaf size.
“Flowery”
- F.O.P. (Flowery Orange Pekoe) is a tea that contains buds along with the whole leaf. It is of high quality, with long leaves and several tips.
- F.O.P. 1 (Flowery Orange Pekoe 1) Limited to only the highest quality leaves in F.O.P. classification.
“Golden”
- G.F.O.P. (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) is the name for a tea that contains golden buds, and a higher proportion of tips than F.O.P.
“Tippy”
- T.G.F.O.P. (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) contains a high proportion of golden tips and buds, offering an exceptionally rich, complex flavor. Main variety in Nepal, Darjeeling and Assam.
- T.G.F.O.P.1 (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1) has an even higher concentration of golden buds. Contains only the highest quality leaves.
“Finest & Special”
- F.T.G.F.O.P. (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) has a very high proportion of golden buds and exceptional quality.
- F.T.G.F.O.P.1 (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1) tea with more golden buds than the previous one, and a richer taste.
- S.F.T.G.F.O.P. (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) indicates premium quality tea. This is generally reserved for exceptional teas with a very high proportion of golden buds.
- S.F.T.G.F.O.P.1 (Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe 1) is a label for the highest class, and a tea with a very high proportion of golden buds and unsurpassed complexity of taste. Here you can find Darjeeling Makaibari SF FTGFOP1 (organic).
→ FTGFOP1, STGFOP and SFTGFOP are designations only for the highest quality sheets in the FTGFOP classification.
“BROKEN LEAF”
Teas in this category have leaves that are broken or cut during the production process, which allows for a stronger flavor to be extracted when the tea is brewed.
- B.P. (Broken Pekoe) made from medium to small broken leaves. They are mostly from Indonesia, India (Assam), and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
- B.O.P. (Broken Orange Pekoe) are black teas where the leaves are broken into smaller pieces. This is the main type of broken tea.
“Flowery”
- F.P. (Flowery Pekoe) has usually rougher and meatier broken leaves. It is produced in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and in southern India, as well as in some parts of Kenya.
- F.B.O.P. (Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe) contains rougher and broken leaves with several tips and buds.
„Golden“
- G.B.O.P. (Golden Broken Orange Pekoe) second grade tea with uneven leaves and few tops.
- G.F.B.O.P. (Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe) premium tea with golden buds in broken leaves.
- G.F.B.O.P.1 (Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe 1) is like the previous one, only with the highest quality leaves in the GFBOP classification.
„Tipy“
- T.G.B.O.P. (Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe) has a higher proportion of golden buds.
- T.G.F.B.O.P. (Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe) is a tea with a large proportion of golden buds and a very complex taste.
Fannings – small pieces of leaf, smaller than those of B.O.P. They release color and flavor quite quickly when we brew them.
Dust – the smallest pieces of leaves, almost like dust. It is most often used for filter bags of lower quality. They release a lot of flavor very quickly, including bitterness, and a lot of color.
