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.
CTC black tea
Black tea
Assam orthodox tippy
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
- CTC black tea: Small-particle CTC, manufactured for fast total extraction.Assam orthodox tippy: Whole orthodox leaf, twisted and intact.
- What you can taste
- CTC black tea: Strength and colour. Origin is largely invisible.Assam orthodox tippy: Garden, flush and grade, because extraction is gradual.
- Freshness
- CTC black tea: Often over a year old by purchase, and rarely dated.Assam orthodox tippy: Usually dated, and the date usually matters.
- Cost per cup
- CTC black tea: Very low.Assam orthodox tippy: Higher, though less than people expect once infusions are counted.
- What it is good at
- CTC black tea: Being reliable, strong and cheap, with milk.Assam orthodox tippy: Being interesting, and much less forgiving of neglect.
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 | CTC black tea | Assam orthodox tippy |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Black tea · fully oxidised | Black tea · fully oxidised |
| Production | In order: Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying. year round harvest. | In order: Withering → Orthodox processing → Oxidation → Drying. bud and two leaves and second flush harvest. |
| Origin | Not recorded for this tea. Blends have components rather than a place. | India — Assam |
| Flavour | roasted. full bodied, astringent and drying in the mouth. Aroma: brisk malt, stewed fruit. Straightforward in character. Bold in intensity. | sweet, fruity and nutty. full bodied, smooth and rich in the mouth. Aroma: honey, malt, dried apricot. Moderate in character. Bold in intensity. |
| Brewing | 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. | Western brewing (teapot or mug): 1–1.5 g/100 ml at 95–100 °C, first steep 180s. |
| Cultural context | Used in British everyday tea drinking, Chai culture in India, Chaiwallah and street tea culture and Cha chaan teng culture. | Not recorded for this tea. |
| 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 and takes milk. | Someone who wants the cup to assert itself and wants to enjoy it on the first cup. It tolerates an imprecise brew. |
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.