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Tea Grades
After tea is processed, it's sifted to determine leaf sizes: whole leaf, broken or small leaf, fannings and even dust. Tea is also graded according to its appearance and where it is from. Although each country has its own grading system, the leaves with the most "tip"- the very top of the plant - receive the highest rating. Black teas have a complicated grading system based on "orange pekoe".
Green Tea Grades
Green teas are graded by the quality of their flavour, the area it is grown in and the way it is flushed or picked. While each country grades their teas slightly differently, they generally fall into the following categories.
- Japan: Extra Choicest, Choicest, Choice, Finest, Fine, Good Medium, Medium, Good Common, Common, Nubs, Dust and Fannings.
- China: Gunpowder, Imperial, Young Hyson, Hyson Twanky, Hyson Skin and Dust.
- India grades are similar to China's. They include: Fine Young Hyson, Young Hyson, Hyson No. 1, Hyson, Soumee, Fannings, Dust.
Oolong Tea Grades
Oolong teas also have their own grading system. The Taiwanese government developed this system. They go in the following descending order: Standard, On Good, Good, Fully Good, Good Up, Good to Superior, On Superior, Superior, Fully Superior, Superior Up, Superior to Fine, On Fine, Fine, Fine Up, Fine to Finest, Finest, Finest to Choice. There are some intermediate gradings that are recognized as well.
Black Tea Grades
The grading for black teas is as follows:
- TGFOP: Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - This grade represents some of the most precious tea in the world. After brewing, it is not uncommon to see whole leaves in their original state. The tip on these leaves can make up as much as a fourth of a whole leaf.
- GFOP: Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - An open OP leaf with a golden brown tip.
- FOP: Flowery Orange Pekoe - A leaf which is as long or longer than on OP but is not as tightly rolled. The cup tends to be lighter than the broken grades.
- OP: Orange Pekoe (Peck-Oh) - Long, thin, wiry leaves which sometimes contain yellow tip or leaf buds.
- PEKOE:The leaves of this grade are shorter and not as wiry as an orange pekoe. In Europe this type of leaf is often referred to as curly.
- SOUCHONG: A bold, flat leaf, often light in liquor. Formosa and China are the most common producers of this grade.
- GFBOP: Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - A BOP with more tip than the FBOP. Tips do not necessarily add to the quality of the cup. However, most top grades do have tip.
- FBOP: Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe - Is usually larger than the standard BOP and often contains brown and silver tips. The tips are not pieces of flower, but merely tender new leaf buds.
- BOP: Broken Orange Pekoe - The smallest of leaf grades. The liquor usually has a good color with strength in the cup and is very useful in many blends.
- BP: Broken Pekoe - A very short, even, curly leaf. It develops a dark, heavy cup and is very popular in the Middle East.
- Fannings and Dust.
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