Grading in Black Tea Production

1. FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe)

In each flush (picking season), only a small quantity of tippy or flowery grades is made. These are usually reserve teas or special estate teas. They take much more work to produce than everyday grades, because the tea tips are sorted out by hand. FOP tea is made from pickings of the young leaf at the top of a tea branch plus the leaf bud. FOP grades have very good liquor and strength.

Flowery Orange Pekoe grades:

• FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe)
• GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
• TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
• FTGFOP (Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)
• SFTGFOP (Super Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe)

2. OP (Orange Pekoe)

The most common grade for breakfast teas and flavored teas. Orange Pekoe leaves are long, thin and wiry, and sometimes contain the tip. OP is usually made from pickings of the top two leaves plus the leaf bud. Its liquor is usually lighter than the flowery grades.

Orange Pekoe grades:

• OP (Orange Pekoe): most often used for breakfast teas or flavored teas (teas with added flavorings such as bergamot oil or cinnamon)
• BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): one of the more sought-after grades. The leaves are much smaller than OP and contain plenty of tips. Good color and strength.

3. P (Pekoe)

Pekoe leaves are shorter and less wiry than OP. Pekoe is usually made from pickings of the top three leaves plus the leaf bud.

Pekoe grades:

• P (Pekoe): sometimes used for breakfast teas, and often for flavored teas and as a filler in blends such as English Breakfast and Irish Breakfast
• BP (Broken Pekoe): slightly larger than BOP, with rather less color in the cup. Used mainly as a filler in blends.

4. PS (Pekoe Souchong, sometimes called Pure Souchong)

PS leaves are larger than Pekoe. They're often used as a filler in blends.

Pekoe Souchong grades:

• PS (Pekoe Souchong)
• BPS (Broken Pekoe Souchong)

5. S (Souchong)

Souchong leaves are bold and round. They're mostly used for everyday blends.