Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe
TGFOP is the FOP family's middle rung, tippier than GFOP and far less rare than the two grades above it. It anchors a lot of everyday Darjeeling and Assam shelf tea.
What it is
The same base pluck as FOP, carrying a larger proportion of golden tip than GFOP but not yet at FTGFOP's level.
Where you meet it
Widely on Darjeeling and Assam orthodox packets, often the highest grade a mid-range estate tea will carry.
How to read it
Read it as one more step up the same tip ladder every FOP-family letter sits on.
A common mistake
Treating TGFOP as a separate style of tea rather than a tip-content grade of the same FOP base.
Sources
- TGFOP is FOP with a large proportion of golden tips. Pettigrew, The Tea Companion (2004)