Having small amounts of different teas in your cupboard can be frustrating. You don’t quite have enough Ceylon, Keemun, or Kenyan tea to brew a full pot—but maybe you do have some CTC Assam on hand. Since blends like Scottish Breakfast tea combining Assam and Keemun exist, you may wonder: can you create your own blend?
The answer: yes. And no—you probably won’t regret experimenting.
Homemade pestle tool for blending tea leaves
What Is CTC Tea?
There is some debate over what “CTC” stands for—common interpretations include “Cut, Tear, Curl” or “Crush, Tear, Curl.” Regardless of the exact wording, all definitions refer to a machine‑processed tea method.
CTC teas are typically produced in large quantities and often blended from leaves sourced from multiple gardens to ensure consistency in taste and quality. These teas are usually shaped into small, pellet-like pieces (sometimes compared to cereal grains in appearance).
For more detail, see this explanation of CTC Assam tea processing.
What Is Orthodox Tea?
Orthodox tea refers to tea that is processed using more traditional methods, often involving hand-harvesting and more careful handling of the leaves. These teas generally retain more complex, layered flavors and less bitterness.
The process typically includes:
- Withering: reducing moisture to make leaves pliable
- Rolling: shaping leaves and encouraging oxidation
- Oxidation: developing flavor and color
- Firing: halting oxidation and drying the leaves
Orthodox teas are usually composed of whole or broken leaves and behave differently during brewing than CTC teas.
Learn more in this guide to orthodox tea production and characteristics.
CTC Assam (left) vs. orthodox leaf tea (right)
How to Blend CTC and Orthodox Teas
Blending these two types of tea presents a challenge because they steep differently:
- CTC teas infuse quickly and release flavor rapidly
- Orthodox teas take longer and often allow multiple infusions
To balance these differences, you can grind or crush the orthodox leaves slightly—using a mortar and pestle or a similar tool. This helps them release flavor more quickly and better match the steeping behavior of CTC tea.
Keep in mind:
- You may need less leaf overall
- You will likely lose the ability to re-steep the tea
- The resulting blend may be stronger and more uniform
This approach can be a fun and practical solution for using up small amounts of leftover teas. Experimentation is part of the enjoyment—so don’t be afraid to try different combinations.
After all, those forgotten bits of tea in your cupboard deserve their moment in the teapot!
See also: Simon’s Crumbs tea blending experiment and tips
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