Black Tea Leaf Grades:                                                                            Return to about Tea

  Grade of leaf is only one of several major factors that determine the overall quality of tea.

• (OP) Orange Pekoe. A fancy grade of full leaf tea showing no tip, but nice thin leaves rolled lengthwise.
• (FOP) Flowery Orange Pekoe. Smaller than OP leaves, also rolled lengthwise.
• (GFOP) Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. Same as FOP with some leaves showing a golden tip.
• (TGFOP) Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. Same as GFOP except all leaf tips are golden.
• ( FTGFOP) Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.
• ( FTGFOP1) Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1.
• (SFTGFOP1) Super-Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe, Grade 1.

Broken Leaf Grades, low to high:

• (BOP) Broken Orange Pekoe . A smaller or broken leaf OP.
• (GBOP) Golden Broken Orange Pekoe .
• (TGBOP) Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe.
• (BOPF) Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings . Are actually the crushed leaves, sometimes called dust, primarily used in tea bags.

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