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What is the basis for the international classification of black tea? The differences between each level are described in detail

Published: 2026-08-24 Author: World Gafei

Last Updated: 2026/08/24, You may have only recently learned many of the benefits of drinking black tea. Since you have heard about the potential medicinal effects and unique taste of black tea, you may be prompted to learn more about this interesting drink. Therefore, you may wonder how black tea is graded. Define tea grades for consumers if you taste tea

You may have only recently learned many of the benefits of drinking black tea. Since you have heard about the potential medicinal effects and unique taste of black tea, you may be prompted to learn more about this interesting drink. Therefore, you may wonder how black tea is graded. Define tea grades for consumers. If you are confused about the concept of tea tasting, you are definitely not alone. There are many misunderstandings around this process. First of all, there is really no standard method for tea grading. This means that the hierarchy varies greatly from country to country and from region to region. In addition, a specific grade does not guarantee quality or taste. If you want to know the overall quality of a kind of tea, you should consider where it grows, the elevation of the manor, the way it is harvested, the production process, and the type of tea. Now let's take a closer look at the grading of black tea. The basics of black tea grading are determined according to the size of particles or leaves. Conversely, the size of tea often depends on the way it is harvested and processed. For example, black tea may be processed in a so-called orthodox way. When using orthodox methods, the uppermost leaves and buds are picked by hand. When the leaves are fermented, the leaves are rolled up at the initial stage of processing. If a reaper uses orthodox techniques, the resulting leaves may represent different sizes and grades. The second method of processing black tea is called CTC. This abbreviation is the abbreviation of Crush, Tear and Curl. This technique is considered to be more convenient and effective than the orthodox method. In this case, tea can be picked by hand or harvested mechanically. The top tea is called Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe. The leaves and buds at the top of this special tea are picked by hand. The name of this tea comes from the golden edge of the bud. If the letter "F" appears before the name of tea, it means it is a better grade; if the letter "SF" appears before the name, it means that it is a kind of ultra-fine tea. At the same time, the lowest possible grade is Pekoe Dust, which is harvested and processed by CTC technology. This grading system is often used to describe tea originating in Africa, India or Sri Lanka. Some Chinese teas may also be affected by the grading system. Please note that whole-leaf tea is usually more expensive and more pleasing to the eye. However, tea with small leaves may be more delicious.

You should know that the grading method of green tea and oolong tea is different from that of black tea. For example, the grade of green tea is usually related to the overall quality and taste of the tea. How much you end up spending on green or oolong tea depends on the type of tea, where it is grown, and how it is harvested. In addition, the grading system of green tea and oolong tea varies from country to country. For example, green tea grown in Japan is graded according to geography, style and quality. Japanese grades are often named as extra choice, best, ordinary and small. In China, green tea is graded according to the age, style and shape of the leaves. The Chinese grade is named "needle" and "pea leaf". At the same time, green tea grown in India is famous for its leaf style, such as Young Hyson, Soumee and fanings. Other things to consider are that rare teas often have their own grading methods. Including Java green tea and scented tea oolong tea. These grades can also be divided into multiple subcategories, making the scoring system quite complex. Given that consumers actually have thousands of kinds of tea to choose from, you should be able to find a grade that appeals to you. However, in order to make your choice completely satisfactory, you must use high-quality bottled water or properly filtered water. The water should boil and the tea should be soaked for at least three minutes for proper preparation. It is entirely possible to drink black tea without knowing the score. However, the more you know about black tea, the more you will realize how special it is. And this knowledge will only enhance your daily tea drinking experience.

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