Glossary: P

Painswick

The Gloucestershire town from which the Twining family came. Thomas Twining, founder of the tea business, was born there in 1675. Recession in the local wool trade drove the family to London in 1684.

Pan-Fired

A Japanese tea, which is steamed and then rolled in iron pans to hault further oxidation.

Pekoe

A size of tea leaf characterized by leaves which are shorter and not as wiry as orange Pekoe. The liquors generally have more colour.

Pekoe Souchong

A leaf grade of Black Tea between Pekoe and Souchong.

Pingusey

In Chinese, the terms mean ice water. A Black Tea from Hangchow district of Zhejing Province. An excellent mild tasting tea.

Pitt, William (1759-1806)

William Pitt (commonly known as Pitt the Younger) became Britain's youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24. He was a reformer who, acting on the advice of Richard Twining, introduced the Commutation Act of 1784 which ended 100 years of exorbitant tea duties.

Plain

Describes teas which are clean and innocuous but lacking character.

Point; Pointy

A most desirable brisk pungent characteristic.

Polyphenols

A group of polymerised organic compounds containing a hydroxyl group bound directly to a carbon atom in a benzene ring. Polyphenols have antioxidant properties, and occur naturally in tea.

Pouchong

Some of the finest quality and high priced teas. A very fragrant tea, which is also used as a base for making jasmine Tea.

Pungent

Describes a preponderance of desirable attributes, which are the essential characteristics of a good tea. Pungent describes a tea liquor which has a marked briskness and astringency without being bitter on the palate. A most desirable cup characteristic.