Orange Pekoe
التعريف
A leaf grading term for whole-leaf black tea, not a flavor description. OP indicates a standard-size leaf without tips. Higher grades include FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) with abundant golden buds.
التفاصيل
The orange pekoe grading system classifies black tea by leaf size and appearance, originating from the colonial tea trade. Contrary to common belief, it has nothing to do with oranges or flavor. The hierarchy ascends from Dust and Fannings (tea bag grade) through BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe) to OP, FOP, GFOP, TGFOP, and the pinnacle FTGFOP. Each additional letter indicates finer quality: F for Flowery (young buds), G for Golden (tip color), T for Tippy (abundant tips), and the final F for Finest. While primarily used for Indian and Sri Lankan black teas, this system gives buyers a quick visual shorthand for leaf quality and expected cup character.