Peko tea: description of the species, blend, manufacturers overview, reviews

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

When people come to the store for a pack of tea, they don't think much about what kind it is. Peko is considered one of the highest quality drinks. Reviews about this tea are always enthusiastic. This is due to the amazing rich taste and exquisite aroma. So, what blends of Pekoe tea exist and which one to choose? Which producers are responsible for the production of everyone's favorite drink?

Origin of Peko

Many people ask: "What is Pekoe tea? Where did the name come from?". This drink necessarily contains kidneys covered with white fluff. This indicates the highest quality of the product. The word "pekoe" comes from "bai hao", which means "white fluff" in Taiwanese. In English, it sounds like "pak hoa". Western merchants used this term to refer to an unopened petal bud and two leaves underneath.

In Russian there is also a word consonant with a foreign one. This is a long leaf version of the drink, which meanshigh quality product. To make Russian merchants interested in the goods, the Chinese often used “bai hao” in speech. This meant that there were a lot of kidneys in the products. And the merchants considered that this translates as “high-quality”, and therefore the word “baykhovy” has taken root in our country. By the way, later this term was included in GOSTs. Although today the term "long leaf" can be used in relation to elite types of tea, it is increasingly found on the packaging of the most common low-grade drinks.

Types of tea

Experts distinguish this drink by color:

• Black. Its distinguishing feature is its high strength.
• Green. The drink has a pleasant rich taste.
• Red. It differs from other species with a bright, refined aroma.
• Oolong. Can be purple, turquoise or blue.
• Yellow.
• White.
• Pu-erh.

Also, teas are divided by appearance and packaging into:

• pressed;
• whole leaf;
• granular;
• chopped;
• instant;
• in bags.

Under fermentation is understood the process of oxidation and fermentation of the juice of tea leaves. At this point, chemical reactions occur, leading to the production of a particular taste and aroma.

Tea leaves can also be classified by fermentation:

• Unfermented. These include green teas.
• Lightly fermented. White and yellow teas stand out here.
• Semi-fermented. These include variousoolongs (red, blue, purple, yellow).
• Fermented. In this case, it is customary to talk about the complete completion of the process itself. This category includes black teas.
• Over-fermented. Pu-erh is the only subspecies that can be included here.

Separation according to the method of processing leaves

The following classes are distinguished according to the mechanical method of processing leaves of long leaf teas:

Large-leaved. A high quality drink made from first-class raw materials. Otherwise, this group is called Big Leaf

Broken leaf. Otherwise, it is called Broken. It has its own advantages: when brewing, the brightness of taste and aroma is revealed, and during production, fermentation is better

Small leaf tea. This includes grains, crumbs and often dust. First thought: The product is considered garbage. However, experts believe that high quality dust is better than bad leaf

Big Leaf class

Experts divide it into 4 subgroups:

• Flowery Pekoe. International mark on the package - F. P. This Pekoe tea is made only from a pair of young and tender leaves. Their parameters do not exceed 5-15 mm. The production process allows them not to twist too much, including the obligatory attribute - a tea bud. This is a first class drink.
• Orange Pekoe. International mark - O. P. It is produced from the second pair of leaves. Their size is 8-15 mm. When brewed, the drink takes on an orange color.
• Pekoe. International marking - P. The presented Peko tea is made from thick and hard leaves plucked from the penultimate shoot. Twist them lightly.
• Pekoe Souchong. International mark - P. S. For its production, you will need large leaves under the first and second shoots. They are rolled into a ball.

Broken class

There are also 4 categories here:

• Broken Orange Pekoe. International label - B. O. P. It contains a significant proportion of leaf buds. Thanks to this, the drink is strong and aromatic. Peko tea from this category is considered the most popular.
• Broken Pekoe. International marking - B. P. The drink turns out to be weak in strength, because it contains a large number of streaks.
• Broken Pekoe Souchong. International marking - B. P. S. It is made from large pieces of tea leaves, which are then rolled into balls.
• Pekoe Dust. International marking - P. D. Contains the largest number of tiny particles.

Small tea category

Peko (tea) is not included in this classification. Small-leaf drinks are divided into:

Fannings. International marking - F. This includes cuttings of 1-1.5 mm in size or powdered tea from old leaves

Dust. International marking - D. Particles are less than 1 mm in size. Since the small size allows the taste and aroma of what is left of the tea leaves to quickly develop, this category is used for the productionpackaged product

Peko tea blends and its main producers

It is extremely rare to find the finest Ceylon teas, as products made in Sri Lanka and sold under different trade names are a blend.

The Russian market has long been dominated by medium quality drinks. It was the British (trademarks Ahmad or Twinings) who introduced Russians to the use of first-class Assams and Darjeelings.

Peko black tea is usually divided into the following blends:

English Breakfast. There are no rigid standards for the production of this blend. Typically, the manufacturer creates a mixture of medium and small leaves of Chinese and Indian teas. The taste of each drink will depend on the proportion in which this or that ingredient is. If Chinese tea prevails, then its taste is saturated with earthy shades with hints of oolong. This drink is best consumed with milk. If the blend is dominated by the Indian variety, then the taste of the mixture is more like regular black tea

Irish Breakfast. The presented blend is made from a mixture of Assam teas with medium and small leaves. Sometimes ordinary Indian or Ceylon varieties are added. A distinctive feature of the blend is the strength, intense red tint of the drink and rich aroma

Russian Caravan. In the West, this blend is very popular, although it is practically unknown in Russia. The mixture includes the following varieties:Chinese black (Keemun or Yunnan), Indian or Ceylon ordinary black tea, a small amount of Lapsang Souchong or Chinese oolong

Ceylon Tea Orange Pekoe. What is advertised as said product is a blend of varieties grown in Ceylon and India

Indian tea sold on the domestic market combines cheap blends

Best of the best producers

Peko black tea varieties preferred teas:

Lopchu Golden Orange Peco. It is harvested during the summer in the Darjeeling region. This tea is best consumed in the morning. As additives, honey, milk or sugar is attached to it. The advantages of this variety are considered to be a long-term invigorating effect and the normalization of metabolism. It is perfect for knowledge workers. Tea can relieve fatigue and enhance brain function

Tea Ahmad Orange Peco. It has nothing to do with citrus or a noteworthy color. In the 16th century, merchants from Holland practically monopolized the supply of the drink. First-class teas were heading for the court. It was the name of the dynasty of the princes of Orange (from the Netherlands - Prins van Oranje) that contributed to the introduction of the English tracing paper "orange". This is the name of high-class teas with whole leaves, produced only from unbroken twisted raw materials. The category "orange" can be classified as tea delivered to the court. Another translation is also known. It sounds like "tea worthy of the Prince of Orange." The drink is made from the top leaves. You can use it at any time of the day. Virtues are calledinhibiting the formation of body fat, quenching thirst and saturating the body with vitamins, minerals, essential oils and caffeine

Ceylon tea Peko brand Bagir Super Pekoe. The leaves of this variety are curly, with a pleasant aroma. The rich taste acquires a slight bitterness, but it can be eliminated if you eat acidic products with tea. For example, cherry jam. Flavorless unboiled milk is added to the drink

Nuri Pekoe tea. The basis of the drink is made up of large tender and juicy leaves twisted across. So tea leaves are able to retain valuable qualities for a long time. Thanks to this, the drink acquires a delicate taste and exquisite aroma

The right choice of Pekoe tea blend is the key to good mood and well-being.