=India Pekoes=—Are ordinarily of a greyish-black hue, with a fair
sprinkling of grayish-yellow tips, downy in appearance, while the liquor
is very strong, brisk and pungent, varying in quality and flavor
according to the district of production.
=Orange-Pekoe=—Is a small, evenly-curled leaf, having a yellowish or
golden “tip” at the ends. In liquor and flavor it approximates close to
plain Pekoe, being devoid of scent, that many growers make no
distinction between them.
=Flowery-Pekoe=—Is not picked from the plant, but separated from the
other grades, only the buds and youngest leaves being selected. The
cured leaf is small, uniform and tender, silvery-green in color,
although highly-fired, pale but strong in liquor, approaching that of a
Moyune Green in flavor, being very deceptive in strength and
astringency. The infused leaf is symmetrical in form, small and
light-green in color, approaching that of a Foochow Oolong in appearance
in the cup.
=Souchong=—Forms the bulk of the India product and may be classed as the
“Standard grade;” the qualifications for being comprehended under this
rating are its even, straight, slightly curled leaf, dark color, stylish
appearance and greater quantity. Yet while its liquor does not possess
the deep strength and pungency of the Pekoe sorts, it is generally full
and round in body and mellow or “malty” in flavor.
=Pekoe-Souchong=—Is a term applied to Pekoe leaves devoid of tips, as
well as to Souchong containing a fair sprinkling of tipped leaves. But,
as a general rule, it is an unassorted tea, composed principally of the
larger and coarser leaves of both Pekoe and Souchong that will not pass
through the sieves, and possessing in the cup the distinctive properties
of the combination.
=India Congou=—Is a tea of the Souchong order too large to be made into
that kind or a smaller leaf unevenly prepared. In liquor and flavor it
is much the same as Souchong, but is not always as heavy, strong or
mellow in flavor.
=Broken-leaf=—As its name implies, is composed of a mixture of the
various kinds broken in manipulation, and is a term of great
comprehensiveness, as it may include all the lower grades or approach
the choicest kinds in character and value. It varies in color from brown
to blackish, its strength being seldom great, though the flavor of the
finer grades is, in general, good; that of the commoner ones being poor,
thin and coarse.
=India Bohea=—Consists chiefly of the old and coarser leaves which do
not attain a desirable black color in firing, being devoid of sap. The
leaf is generally brown, sometimes yellowish in color, the liquor
possessing scarcely any strength, usually coarse and rough in flavor,
and never of much value at any time.
=Fannings=—Are composed of the refuse, much broken leaves and dust of
all the preceding kinds, and bear the same relation to India teas that
Twankays do to Green and Nibs to Japan teas.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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