Nilgiri tea grades explained: a buyer’s guide

Published 4 October 2026 · BluVira Exports, Kotagiri

Tea is sold by grade, and the grade describes the size and shape of the leaf, not its quality or flavour. A small broken grade from a fine garden can taste better than a large leaf grade from an ordinary one. What the grade does tell you is how the tea will brew: how fast, how strong, and whether it suits a teapot, a tea bag or an iced-tea line.

Orthodox and CTC: two ways of making black tea

Orthodox tea is rolled, which twists the leaf and keeps more of its structure. It brews a brighter, more fragrant cup and is the style Nilgiri is best known for. Nilgiri Orthodox tea is a registered Geographical Indication of India.

CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea is cut into small, even granules. It brews quickly into a strong, coloured cup, which is why it is used for tea bags, milk tea and chai.

Orthodox leaf and broken grades

• FOP, Flowery Orange Pekoe: long leaf with some tip (unopened bud). Delicate and aromatic, for premium loose-leaf tea.
• OP, Orange Pekoe: long, wiry leaf with little or no tip. A classic loose-leaf grade.
• BOP, Broken Orange Pekoe: broken leaf that brews faster and stronger than whole leaf. The workhorse grade for loose-leaf blends.
• BOPF, Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings: small particles that brew quickly. Widely used in tea bags.
• Fannings and dust: the smallest particles. Fast, strong infusion for tea bags and catering.

“Orange” has nothing to do with flavour: the word is part of a traditional naming system. “Pekoe” refers to the young leaf.

Common CTC grades

• BP, Broken Pekoe and BOP: the larger CTC granules, for strong loose tea.
• PF, Pekoe Fannings: medium granules, the most common tea-bag grade.
• PD, Pekoe Dust and dust: the finest grades, for fast, strong tea bags and vending.

Which grade for which product?

• Premium loose leaf: orthodox FOP or OP, and winter frost lots when available.
• Everyday loose leaf and blends: orthodox BOP, often blended with Assam for body.
• Tea bags: BOPF, fannings, or CTC PF and PD.
• Chai and milk tea: CTC BP, BOP or PF, or a Nilgiri–Assam CTC blend.
• Iced tea: Nilgiri orthodox. Its low astringency keeps the liquor clear as it cools.

Seasons matter too

The Nilgiris have two monsoons, so tea is plucked through most of the year. Winter teas (roughly December to February) are the most aromatic, including the prized frost teas. Spring and summer bring good flavour and body, and the monsoon months bring larger volumes with a softer cup.

How to buy

1. Tell your supplier the product you are making, the grade, and the volume.
2. Taste samples from current lots, and approve one as your reference.
3. Agree packing, labelling, Incoterms and payment in writing.
4. Check that the shipped lot matches the approved sample before it is packed.

Much Nilgiri tea is sold through the auctions at Coonoor and Coimbatore, and some directly by estates. An exporter at origin can source across both and match lots to your sample. See our Nilgiri tea range or download the tea specification sheet (PDF).

More guides for tea buyers: why the Nilgiris stand out, Nilgiri vs Assam for blending and importing Nilgiri tea into Saudi Arabia.