The main grading terms used for black teas are as follows:

Whole Leaf 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 quality

• Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP) - exceptionally high quality 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) - leaves that have been rolled lengthwise; shorter, coarser pieces than Orange Pekoe

• Pekoe Souchong (PS ) - shorter, coarser leaves than Pekoe

Broken Leaf Grades

The following Broken 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)

Fanning’s

Fanning’s are the finest siftings after the larger whole leaf and broken grades have been removed

Pekoe Fanning’s (PF)

Broken Orange Pekoe Fanning’s (BOPF)