Small quality encyclopedia

Tea in whole leaves

FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe): The tea is being collected when the blossom is starting. This is a high quality tea with a clear and aromatic brewing.
OP (Orange Pekoe): Referring to the size of the leaf, this term indicates a larger-sized grade of whole leaves without tips, the most simple leaf grade.
FP (Flowery Pekoe): A grading term that indicates fine leaves that have been rolled into tiny balls.
Pekoe: Here only a few fine leaves are picked from young shoots. These can be recognized by their tender white fluff on the lower side of the leaf.
Souchong: Large leaf teas harvested from the third and fourth leaf of the tea plant.
Pekoe Souchong: Tea harvested from the fourth to sixth leaf of the plant. Rather a coarse quality.

Tea from crushed leaves

Fannings: Small particles of broken tea. Because of its strong infusion mainly used for tea bags.
Dust: The smallest grade of tea consisting of bruised and sieved leaves, equally used in tea bags.

Tea from broken leaves

BOP (Broken Orange Pekoe): Strong black tea from broken leaves of higher quality.
BP (BROKEN PEKOE): Black tea, not the finest harvest.
BPS (Broken Pekoe Souchong): Tea assembled from unregularly broken tea, therefore a lower quality.