Teas are arranged in various classes according to the size, make, and colour of the leaf. I treat first and principally of the Black descriptions, as Green Teas are manufactured in only a few of the Tea-growing districts of India.
The following classes come under the name of Black Tea:—
| Flowery Pekoe. | The various broken kinds, viz.:— | Broken Pekoe. |
| Orange Pekoe. | Pekoe Dust. | |
| Pekoe. | Broken Mixed Tea. | |
| Pekoe Souchong. | Broken Souchong. | |
| Souchong. | Broken Leaf. | |
| Congou. | Fannings. | |
| Bohea. | Dust. |
We occasionally meet with other names, but they are generally original, and ought not to be encouraged, as a few simple terms like the above are sufficiently comprehensive to describe all classes manufactured.
Perhaps before entering into a detailed description of the various classes it will be well to explain the term “Pekoe” (pronounced Pek-oh), which as we see occurs in so many of the names above quoted. It is said to be derived from the Chinese words “Pak Ho,” which are said to signify white down. The raw material constituting Pekoe when manufactured is the young bud just shooting forth, or the young leaf just expanded, which on minute examination will be found to be covered with a whitish velvety down. On firing these young leaves, the down simply undergoes a slight change in colour to grey or greyish yellow, sometimes as far as a yellowish orange tint.
When the prepared Tea consists entirely of greyish or greenish greyish Pekoe, with no or very little dark leaf mixed, it is called Flowery Pekoe.
Flowery Pekoe is picked from the shrub entirely separate from the other descriptions of Tea, only the buds and young leaves being taken. In the preparation it is not subjected so severely to the action of heat as the other classes of Tea, and generally preserves a uniform greenish grey or silvery grey tint. Its strength in liquor is very great, flavour more approaching that of Green Teas, but infinitely superior, having the strength and astringency, without the bitterness, of the green descriptions. The liquor is pale, similar to that of Green Tea, and the infused leaf is of a uniform green hue. In many instances, where too much heat has been employed, we find dark leaves intermixed, and the prevailing colour, green, is sprinkled with leaves of a salmony brown tinge, which is the proper colour for the out-turn of any other ordinary black leaf Tea. A very common mistake is to call an ordinary Pekoe, that may contain an extra amount of Pekoe ends, Flowery Pekoe. When this class of Tea is strong and of Flowery Pekoe flavour, it is called by the trade a Pekoe of Flowery Pekoe kind. In England Flowery Pekoe sells, as a rule, from 4s. 6d. to 6s. 6d. per lb. One parcel has sold as high as 7s. 6d.
By many people the expediency of making Flowery Pekoe is much doubted. The true Flowery Pekoe leaf is the one undeveloped bud at the end of each twig. To pick this alone, without any ordinary Pekoe leaves, involves a great deal of trouble and expense, and I think though the Flowery Pekoe be very valuable, that the account would hardly balance when we consider the deterioration of the Pekoe by the abstraction of the young leaves.
The ordinary Pekoe is a Tea of blackish or greyish blackish aspect, but dotted over with greyish or yellowish leaves which, on close inspection, will be found to possess the downy appearance which gives the name to Pekoe. In general we do not find the whole leaf covered with down, but only part of it, which in its growth has been developed later than the other parts. These are called by the trade “Pekoe ends” when very small Pekoe tips. A Pekoe is generally of good to fine flavour, and very strong, and its liquor dark. Its value is from 2s. 9d. to 3s. 8d. per lb.
When the Pekoe ends are of yellowish or orange hue, and the leaf is very small and even, the Tea is called Orange Pekoe. In flavour it is much the same as an ordinary Pekoe, and many growers do not separate the two varieties, but send them away in the finished state mixed together. Its value is from 2d. to 4d. per lb. more than Pekoe.