 TeaAlthough tea was discovered in China nearly five thousand years ago, it took several thousand years before the tea plant, botanical name Camellia Sinensis, found its way to other parts of the world. Today, teas are grown on a commercial scale in approximately three dozen countries and, in each country, tea makes a significant contribution to the economy of the agricultural sector. Tea is grown from China to Argentina, Nepal to South Africa, and, next to water, tea is the worlds most consumed drink.
There are approximately 1,500 different varieties of tea, all offering interesting and varied style's, taste and colour. The character of tea, like wine, is influenced by the elevation of the garden, the soil, wind conditions and temperature and, of course, the quality of the plucking. With so many teas to choose from there is a lifetime of enjoyable exploration ahead.
Tea is a beverage made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia Sinensis!, in hot water for a few minutes. Tea processing can include oxidation, heating, drying, and the addition of other herbs, flowers, spices, and fruits.
There are four basic types of true tea: black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea. The term "herbal tea" usually refers to infusions of fruit or of herbs (such as rosehip, chamomile, or jiaogulan) that contain no Camellia Sinensis. (Alternative terms for herbal tea that avoid the word "tea" are tisane and herbal infusion.)
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Black Tea Grades Whole Leaf Tea Grades
The word 'pekoe' comes from the Chinese word pek-ho or baihao meaning the white downy hairs on the underside of the leaves of certain varieties of tea bush.
'Orange' is used as a term that denotes quality because of Holland's House of Orange, the royal family of the first European country to import tea and thus a name connected with expensive, high quality tea.
Special Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (SFTGFOP) - the very best whole leaf tea quality
Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP) - exceptionally high quality tea leaf
Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (TGFOP) - Flowery Orange Pekoe with a good proportion of tips
Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (GFOP) - Flowery Orange Pekoe with tips
Orange Pekoe (OP) - long pointed leaves that have been harvested when the end buds are opening into leaves
Pekoe (P) - shorter, coarser leaves than Orange Pekoe
Flowery Pekoe (FP) - tea leaves that have been rolled lengthwise; shorter, coarser pieces than Orange Pekoe
Pekoe Souchong (PS ) - shorter, coarser tea leaves than Pekoe
Broken Leaf Tea Grades
The following Broken tea leaf grades refer to the broken pieces of leaf from the above grades:
Tippy Golden Broken Orange Pekoe (TGBOP)
Tippy Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (TFBOP)
Tippy Golden Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (TGFBOP)
Golden Broken Orange Pekoe (GBOP)
Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe (FBOP)
Broken Pekoe Souchong (BPS)
BP (Broken Pekoe)
Fannings
Fannings are the finest siftings after the larger whole tea leaf and broken grades have been removed
Pekoe Fannings (PF)
Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings (BOPF)
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