🍂 Grades & leaf
Tip / Golden Tips
Tip / Golden Tips refers to the unopened young buds of the tea plant, which are considered high quality and contribute to a sweet, refined flavor.
Tips are the young buds that have not fully opened yet. These buds, covered in fine hairs, shine golden when oxidized, which is why they are called Golden Tips.
The buds are concentrated with umami and sweetness, and black teas that contain a high proportion of tips have a mild astringency and elegant flavor. The grade symbols 'T' (Tippy) and 'G' (Golden) indicate the presence of tips, and there are luxurious black teas made exclusively from buds, such as China's Jin Jun Mei.
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