Grading tea leaves is complicated and is done differently in different countries. The most extensive grading is found in black teas, followed by green teas. Orange Pekoe describes leaves, specifically the best, most tender leaves plucked from the tips of the plant’s young shoots. Black tea is classified into four different categories: WHOLE LEAF, BROKEN LEAF, FANNINGS and DUST.
These prized leaves get graded as follows during the manufacturing process:
WHOLE LEAF
FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE (FOP)
Consists of fine, tender, young leaves rolled with a certain proportion of “tips.” These tips, being the very ends of the bud’s leaves, constitute a guarantee of quality.
GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE (GFOP)
FOP with “golden tips” (fine tips of the golden yellow bud’s leaves)
TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE (TGFOP)
FOP with lots of “golden tips”
FINEST TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE (FTGFOP)
Exceptional quality FOP
SPECIAL FINEST TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY ORANGE PEKOE (SFTGFOP)
The very best FOP with a large proportion of leaves having golden “tips” of new leaf buds---a guarantee of very, very high quality
ORANGE PEKOE (OP)
Long, pointed leaves (larger than FOP) rolled lengthwise. Harvested when the terminal buds open into leaf. Orange Pekoe rarely contains “tips.”
PEKOE (P)
Shorter, less fine leaves without “tips”.
FLOWERY PEKOE (FP)
Leaves specially rolled into ball shape.
PEKOE SOUCHONG (PS)
Shorter, coarser leaves.
SOUCHONG (S)
Large leaves rolled lengthwise. Often used for China smoked teas.
EXPERTS ALSO ADD “1” TO DENOTE TOP QUALITY AFTER A LEAF DESIGNATION; FOR EXAMPLE: F.T.G.F.O.P. 1, O.P. 1, S 1 etc.
BROKEN LEAF
BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (BOP)
GOLDEN BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (GBOP)
FLOWERY BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (FBOP)
TIPPY GOLDEN BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (TGBOP)
GOLDEN FLOWERY BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (GFBOP)
TIPPY GOLDEN FLOWERY BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE (TGFBOP)
FANNINGS
Made from smaller, flat pieces of broken orange pekoe and used to make quick-brewing, strongly flavored, robust teas with good color.
BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE FANNINGS (BOPF)
DUST
Tiny bits of broken leaf used to brew strong tea quickly, popular for tea bags.
BROKEN ORANGE PEKOE DUST (BOPD)
PEKOE DUST (PD)
RED DUST (RD)
SUPER RED DUST (SRD)
FINE DUST (FD)
SUPER FINE DUST (SFD)
GOLDEN DUST (GD)
