Black Tea is roll broken after withering;there is no steasimg as the enzymes need to remain active. Roll breaking cracks the surface of the leaf exposing the leaf's enzymes to oxygen, initiating oxidation. oxidation is the process that results in the flavor profiles of Oolong and Black tea. After FULL oxidation occurs, the leaf is then finished with forced hot air.
GRADING:
Whole Leaf Grades
The grades for whole leaf orthodox black tea (in ascending order) are:
OP - Orange Pekoe - Main grade in tea production. Can consist of long wiry leaf without tips.
OP sup - Orange Pekoe Superior - Primarily from Indonesia, tea is much the same as above
FOP - Flowery Orange Pekoe - High quality tea with a long leaf and few tips, considered second grade in Assam, Dooars and Bangladesh and first grade in China
FOP1 - Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves - As above but with only the highest quality leaves in the F.O.P classification
GFOP1 - Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe First Grade Leaves- Higher proportion of tip than FOP Top grade in Milima and Marinyn regions; Uncommon in Assam and Darjeeling.
TGFOP - Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Tea with the highest proportion of tip; Main grade in Darjeeling and Assam.
TGFOP1 - Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - As above, but with only the highest quality leave in the T.G.F.O.P classification
FTGFOP - Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe - Highest quality tea in the world. Often hand processed and produced at only the best plantations. Roughly one quarter tips.
A joke among tea aficionados is that "FTGFOP" stands for "Far Too Good For Ordinary People".
