Compare two teas
Side by side across seven dimensions. There is no verdict and no winner — the purpose is to understand the difference, not to be told which to buy.
Assam orthodox tippy
Black tea
CTC black tea
Black tea
TeaHQ has written about this pair
The gap is real and it is not where most people think. It is almost entirely about leaf grade and freshness rather than about origin or price alone.
- Leaf
- Assam orthodox tippy: Whole orthodox leaf, twisted and intact.CTC black tea: Small-particle CTC, manufactured for fast total extraction.
- What you can taste
- Assam orthodox tippy: Garden, flush and grade, because extraction is gradual.CTC black tea: Strength and colour. Origin is largely invisible.
- Freshness
- Assam orthodox tippy: Usually dated, and the date usually matters.CTC black tea: Often over a year old by purchase, and rarely dated.
- Cost per cup
- Assam orthodox tippy: Higher, though less than people expect once infusions are counted.CTC black tea: Very low.
- What it is good at
- Assam orthodox tippy: Being interesting, and much less forgiving of neglect.CTC black tea: Being reliable, strong and cheap, with milk.
In summary: Supermarket tea is not badly made. It is made to a different brief — strength and consistency at low cost — and it does that well. What it cannot do is taste of anywhere.
Point by point
| Dimension | Assam orthodox tippy | CTC black tea |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Black tea · fully oxidised | Black tea · fully oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Orthodox processing → Oxidation → Drying. bud and two leaves and second flush harvest. | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. year round harvest. |
| Origin | India — Assam | Not recorded for this tea. Blends have components rather than a place. |
| Flavour | sweet, fruity and nutty. full bodied, smooth and rich in the mouth. Aroma: honey, malt, dried apricot. Moderate in character. Bold in intensity. | roasted. full bodied, astringent and drying in the mouth. Aroma: brisk malt, stewed fruit. Straightforward in character. Bold in intensity. |
| Brewing | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 98–100 °C, first steep 150s. Tea bag brewing: 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 150s. |
| Cultural context | Not recorded for this tea. | Used in British everyday tea drinking, Chai culture in India, Chaiwallah and street tea culture and Cha chaan teng culture. |
| Who may prefer it | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew and takes milk. |
Nothing above is a recommendation. The last row describes the drinker each tea suits, using each tea’s own authored fields and the same sentence structure for both, so neither can be framed as the safe choice.