Teas are also classified by the size of the processed leaf. Traditional operations result in larger leafy grades and smaller broken grades.
The leafy grades are: flowery pekoe (FP), orange pekoe (OP), pekoe (P), pekoe souchong (PS), and souchong (S).
The broken grades are: broken orange pekoe (BOP), broken pekoe (BP), BOP fanning, fannings and dust.
In modern commercial grading, 95 to 100 percent of production belongs to broken grades, whereas earlier a substantial quantity of leafy grades was produced. This shift has been caused by an increased demand for teas of smaller particle size, which produce a quick, strong brew.
The most important classification is by the manufacturing process, resulting in three categories: fermented (black), unfermented (green), and semifermented (oolong or pouchong).
'Pekoe' (pronounced 'PECK-oh') is derived from a Chinese word meaning 'white', which referred to the white hair on the leaf bud. Early Western merchants used the word to mean that the leaves with this grade were plucked exclusively from the tip of the branch — the leaf bud and the two leaves below the bud. The use of the term in India and Sri Lanka broadened to mean whole leaves of a uniform size, and this is what it generally means now. This may include leaves picked from lower on the branch.
'Flowery Orange Pekoe' is often abbreviated 'FOP'. The term 'flowery' apparently refers to the leaf bud, since actual tea flowers are not used in the preparation of the drink.
'Orange' is variously described as a reference to the Dutch House of Orange or as a reference to an old Chinese practice of including orange blossoms as a flavoring agent. Whichever story is true, Orange Pekoe leaves are higher quality than Pekoe leaves.
'Souchong' means large leaves, generally not from the tip of the branch.
Processed tea is sieved to ensure that leaves of uniform size are packaged together. Fannings and dust are bits and pieces of tea leaves left over from the sievings that separate out whole leaves and large pieces of leaf. Fannings are slightly larger than dust.
Loose tea is generally whole leaves. Bagged tea is usually Broken Orange Pekoe and Broken Pekoe, fannings, and dust. The broken grades are created by mechanized crushing of the leaves. Broken leaves infuse more quickly, which is desirable in a tea bag. But because of their larger surface area, broken leaves also become stale more quickly.
Since much of the bagged tea sold in the US is marked "Orange Pekoe," many people think that Orange Pekoe is a special kind of tea. But it is not. It is a grading measurement that applies only to the size and physical condition of the leaves, not their kind or quality. Most tea that is labeled "Orange Pekoe" is blended black tea, typically from India and/or Sri Lanka.
High-quality Darjeelings are often graded according to a complex (one is tempted to say baroque) system including terms such as TGFOP and FTGFOP. It has been suggested that these abbreviations stood for "Too Good For Ordinary People" and "Far Too Good For Ordinary People." Not a bad guess, in my opinion. Here's what they actually stand for:
TGFOP: Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. 'Tippy', 'Golden', and 'Flowery' are all references to the leaf bud at the tip of the branch. (Buds have a lighter color than fully formed leaves, hence 'golden'.)
FTGFOP: Fancy [or Fine] Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. 'Fancy' is a term also used in the grading of oolongs.
SFTGFOP: Super-Fine [Fancy] Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe.
When dealing with Darjeelings, you may also see the following terms:
Estate: Names the plantation where the leaves were grown.
Vintage: Means that the leaves are the product of one harvest, and are not blended with any others.
First Flush: The leaves were plucked in the first growth of the season. It usually produces a very light, delicate drink.
Second Flush: Second-growth harvest. More robust and complex than first flush.
Autumnal Flush: Harvest after the rainy season.
Some terms that you may find with regard to Chinese green teas are:
Gunpowder — Pellets, tightly rolled from young leaves and buds. Gunpowder is rolled very tightly; the leaves look like small pellets. The Chinese term for this tea, Zhucha, means 'Pearl Tea'. It is grown in Zhejiang province, near Shanghai.
Young Hyson — Young leaves rolled long and thin.
Imperial — Pellets loosely rolled from older leaves.
Twankay — Unrolled leaves of poor quality.
Oolong — Grading for oolongs goes from Fanciest or Extra Fancy (best) to Common (worst). Unlike other grading systems, this one actually rates the quality of the drink you can get from the leaves. The top grades are Fanciest or Extra Fancy, Fancy, and Extra Choice (or Extra Fine).