BOP
Broken Orange Pekoe
A robust grade with colour, strength and malty depth for a strong everyday cup.
Robust Cup
What is Assam CTC tea?
Assam CTC tea is black tea from Assam made by the Crush, Tear, Curl process. The leaf is cut into small, uniform granules that brew quickly into a full-bodied, malty, deep-coloured cup. That is why it is the everyday tea of India: it stands up to milk and sugar in chai, brews evenly in tea bags and blends consistently from lot to lot.
Assam's warm, humid climate and the native Camellia sinensis var. assamica plant give the leaf its natural strength and briskness. We manufacture six CTC tea grades from it: BOP, BOPSM, BP, PF, PD / PF Dust and Dust.
Grades manufactured by Asom
Six grades from the same leaf, sorted by particle size. For particle size, brewing speed and best use side by side, see the grade guide.
BOPSM
Broken Orange Pekoe Small Mixed
Bright, lively liquor with good body and a brisk finish for blends that need energy.
Bright & Lively
BP
Broken Pekoe
Our flagship grade. Larger CTC particles that brew a bold, full-bodied cup with a rich amber liquor, preferred by premium blenders and institutional buyers.
Premium Grade
PF
Pekoe Fannings
Medium-grade fannings that brew quickly and uniformly, with a strong, brisk liquor. Widely used in tea bags and mass-market blends.
Commercial Grade
PD / PF Dust
Pekoe Dust · also PF Dust
Finer than PF and coarser than Dust, it brews fast to a strong, deep-coloured cup for tea bags and milk tea.
Fast Brewing
Dust
Fine CTC particles
Fine-grained CTC dust for fast, intense brews, in demand for tea bags and consumer blends that need a quick, strong cup. Our best value offering.
High Volume
How our CTC tea is made
Withering
Fresh green leaf is spread and air-dried to soften it and reduce moisture.
Crush, tear, curl
The leaf passes through CTC rollers that cut it into small, even particles.
Fermentation
The particles oxidise, developing the colour, strength and malty character of black tea.
Drying
Hot air stops oxidation and dries the tea to a stable, shelf-ready moisture level.
Sorting and grading
Sieves separate the tea by particle size into BOP, BOPSM, BP, PF, PD and Dust.
Packing
Each grade is packed by lot, ready for bulk dispatch or sampling.
Uses for Assam CTC tea
Chai and milk tea
Strong, malty grades that hold their flavour with milk, sugar and spices.
Tea bags
PF, PD and Dust infuse in seconds and give an even colour.
Blending and packing
Consistent grades for repeatable household and retail blends.
Hotels, canteens and tea stalls
Fast-brewing dust grades for high-volume service.
Questions about Assam CTC tea
What is Assam CTC tea?
Assam CTC tea is black tea from the Assam tea belt made by the Crush, Tear, Curl method. The leaf is cut into small granules that brew quickly into a strong, malty, deep-coloured cup, which is why it is the standard tea for Indian chai and milk tea.
Which CTC tea grade is best for chai and milk tea?
For a strong cup of chai, buyers usually choose BOP or BP for long-brewed tea, and PD or Dust where the tea must brew in seconds, as at tea stalls and canteens. Many blenders mix a leaf grade with a dust grade to balance body and colour.