Pureleven journal
Cooking & Spices
From Kerala soil to your kitchen.
Black tea guide
CTC vs Orthodox Tea: What's Actually in Your Cup
Pick the right grade, then brew it properly.
Quick Summary
How CTC granule tea and orthodox leaf tea are made, how they taste, and which suits milk tea, black tea or masala chai.
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Most tea sold in India falls into two types: CTC, the small round granules, and orthodox, the twisted whole or broken leaves. They can come from the same tea plant, even the same estate. The difference is in how the leaves are processed, and it changes your cup a lot.
How they're made
CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl)
After withering, the leaves go through machines with rollers that crush, tear and curl them into small, hard granules. This breaks the leaf cells thoroughly, so the tea oxidises quickly and evenly.
Orthodox
The leaves are rolled more gently, by hand or machine, to keep more of the leaf shape. They're then oxidised and dried. The result is whole or broken leaves, graded by size (you'll see terms like OP, BOP, or FOP on packs).
How they taste
| CTC | Orthodox | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour | Deep, dark red-brown, fast | Lighter, golden to amber |
| Strength | Strong, bold, brisk | Gentler, more layered |
| Aroma | Malty | More floral, fruity or woody, depending on origin |
| Brewing | Fast; good for boiling | Better steeped than boiled |
Which to use for what
- Milk tea and chayakada chai: CTC. It stands up to milk and sugar and gives that strong colour.
- Masala chai: CTC, usually. The spices and milk need a strong base.
- Black tea, lemon tea, sulaimani: orthodox leaf, or a light hand with CTC.
- Drinking tea to enjoy the tea itself: orthodox.
Is one better?
No. They're made for different cups. Most Indian households drink CTC because most Indian households drink milk tea. Orthodox is often considered more premium, but a good CTC is exactly right for a strong morning chai.
Our teas
For strong milk tea, try our black tea granules or milk tea powder. For lighter cups, our orange pekoe tea is the one to try.
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