"Orange Pekoe" sounds like it should describe colour or citrus flavour, but it is actually a grading term for tea leaves. Vietnam Orange Pekoe Tea, grown in the Lam Dong highlands, earns its name from two unrelated words: "Orange," a nod to the Dutch Royal House of Orange-Nassau and the royal grade it once signified, and "Pekoe," from a Chinese term for "white hair," referring to the fine down still visible on the leaf buds.
Lam Dong's cool, misty climate and rich, well-drained soil suit tea plants well, and Vietnam has grown tea in these highlands for over 2000 years, making it one of the oldest tea-producing regions anywhere. This particular grade only reached international markets in the late 19th century, during the French colonial period, when French-introduced cultivation techniques raised the quality of the harvest and helped establish it as a distinctly higher grade of leaf. It built a reputation for full-bodied, aromatic character, and Vietnam's tea culture built on that history is still very much alive.
In the cup, expect a full-bodied black tea with fruity, orange-tinged notes alongside dried fruit, honey, and a touch of milkiness, backed by faint vegetal undertones, a smooth texture, and a slightly sweet, almost thick finish. The liquor runs reddish-brown. Some drink it plain; a dash of milk or a spoonful of honey suits it too, and either way it makes for a satisfying, relaxed cup. Caffeine sits in the moderate range, roughly 45 to 75 mg per cup.
To brew it, warm the pot and cup first, then discard that water so the vessel holds its heat through the steep. Use about a teaspoon of loose leaf per cup, heat water to around 95°C rather than a full boil, which can push the tea toward bitterness, and steep for close to 4 minutes — long enough to draw out the body without over-extracting. Strain before serving.
