Orange Pekoe
Definition
A tea grading term describing whole, unbroken black tea leaves of a certain size - not a flavor or variety. Despite the name, Orange Pekoe has nothing to do with oranges; 'orange' likely references the Dutch House of Orange-Nassau, historical tea traders.
Why it matters
Orange Pekoe is one of the most misunderstood terms in tea. Knowing it refers to leaf grade rather than flavor helps you read tea labels accurately and understand the quality hierarchy of orthodox black teas, from dust and fannings up through FTGFOP.