What is orange pekoe tea?

No oranges here!

Let's start peeling back the layers. The term "Orange Pekoe" is a "categorisation" or "grade" of black teas. Contrary to what the name may suggest, it has nothing to do with a fruity flavour of orange. Interestingly, the "Pekoe" or "Pak-Ho" actually refers to a type of tea leaf - the young, tender unopened bud at the tip of a tea branch.

The term Pekoe originates from the Chinese word, "Bai Hao" which translates to "white hairs" or "white down" – referring to the delicate white hairs on these young leaves. Over time, it became anglicised to 'Pekoe'. Therefore, for the "Pekoe" in "Orange Pekoe", just think delicate buds and premium tea leaves, and not citrus fruits!

Getting to the "orange" part, there are a few conjectures about its origin. Some say it was an association with the Dutch royal House of Orange-Nassau. As the Dutch played a significant role in the global tea trade, they could have added "Orange" as a marker of quality.

Another theory suggests that it could be referring to the colour of the tea once it's oxidised or to the copper colour of the high-quality tea leaves before they are fully dried. Either way, the consensus is that "Orange" isn't indicative of an extra fruit ingredient.

So in essence, Orange Pekoe is a grade of tea leaf, not a flavoured tea variety. It represents some of the finest leaves from the Camellia Sinensis plant, which have been carefully plucked just as the buds are about to bloom.

Another AI-generated gorgeous terracotta tea drinker

Well, in a nutshell it's a very high quality Black Tea, of no particular origin but bearing in mind that much of the black tea we drink is grown in Sri Lanka, India and China.

Orange Pekoe refers to the whole, unbroken leaves. Within this grade, there are further subdivisions based on leaf size. For instance, Broken Leaf Orange Pekoe is smaller leaves that have broken during handling, often intentionally.

In terms of quality, larger leaf grades like Orange Pekoe yield a lighter liquor and are more expensive than smaller, broken grades. Smaller leaf grades use terms like Broken Orange Pekoe (BOP) or Fine Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe (FTGFOP), which associate smaller, broken leaves and leaf tips, with diverse flavour experiences. (I'll write an article about these classifications another time. One of my customers refers to her favourite tea order as her FIGGY-FOP whenever she orders it. Bless!)

Even during these recession times, the pursuit of high-quality, sustainably sourced tea products remains strong among tea lovers. When it comes to tea - especially ones with exotic names like 'Orange Pekoe', understanding its history, grading, and what it means for your palate, can make a world of difference.

It's safe to say, it's the thrill of the tea journey, as much as  enjoying the tea itself!