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Understanding Tea Grades (OP, FOP, CTC)

You've likely seen a confusing jumble of letters on a tin of black tea: "FTGFOP," "BOP," or "CTC." This isn't a secret code—it's the tea grading system. But what does it actually mean? It's simpler (and less important for flavor) than you might think.

A close-up shot of high-quality, whole-leaf black tea with golden tips, next to a pile of dusty CTC tea.

A common misconception is that these grades (mostly used for black teas from India, Sri Lanka, and Africa) are a direct measure of *flavor* or *quality*. They are not.

Instead, the grading system is a **physical description of the leaf's size, wholeness, and appearance.** It was invented to help traders and brokers buy and sell tea in bulk, sight unseen. A "FTGFOP" is not necessarily "better" than a "BOP," it's just a different size of leaf intended for a different brewing style.

1. Orthodox (Whole Leaf) Grades

This is the most complex system, built around the term "Orange Pekoe." This doesn't mean "orange-flavored." "Pekoe" refers to the young tea bud, and "Orange" is a historical nod to the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau, one of the first to bring tea to Europe.

Decoding the Letters (Simplest to Finest)

  • OP (Orange Pekoe): The standard. A long, wiry, whole leaf.
  • FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe): An OP leaf with some "tips," or the young, unopened buds.
  • GFOP (Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): A FOP with a higher proportion of "golden tips" (buds that are golden in color).
  • TGFOP (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): Even more golden tips.
  • FTGFOP (Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe): The highest grade, with a very high proportion of the finest golden tips.
  • SFTGFOP (Special Finest...): A superlative grade, often reserved for a specific, exceptional batch.

2. Broken, Fannings, and Dust Grades

These grades are created when the whole leaves are broken during processing. They are not necessarily "worse," just different. Their smaller size means they have more surface area, which results in a dark, strong, and fast infusion.

Broken Grades

  • BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): The most common broken grade. Smaller than OP, it produces a stronger, darker cup. This is the base for many breakfast blends.
  • Fannings: Even smaller particles, often used in high-quality paper teabags. They brew very quickly and strong.
  • Dust (D): The finest particles. This is used in most mass-market paper teabags for a powerful, one-dunk infusion.

3. What is CTC?

You will often see black tea from Kenya or Assam labeled "CTC." This is a completely different production method from the "Orthodox" (rolled leaf) method described above.

Crush, Tear, Curl

CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) is a machine-based process where tea leaves are passed through rollers that shred them into tiny, hard pellets.

This method is highly efficient and produces a tea that is extremely strong, dark, and consistent. It's the backbone of the teabag industry and is perfect for a bold breakfast tea that stands up well to milk and sugar.