Flavour

Understanding Coffee Flavour

Coffee flavour is the combined sensory impression produced by aroma, taste, acidity, sweetness, bitterness and body. During cupping, these qualities are evaluated together to describe the character of a coffee.

Identifying Tasting Notes

A flavour wheel can help tasters move from broad impressions to more specific descriptions. A sweet impression might be identified as cocoa and then dark chocolate; a floral character could suggest rose, jasmine or black tea; and a fruity character might be refined to citrus, orange or dried berries.

Key Elements

• Aroma: the fragrances perceived before and while tasting the coffee.
• Acidity: the lively or bright sensation created by the coffee’s soluble compounds.
• Body: the perceived weight and texture of the coffee in the mouth, such as light, creamy or syrupy.
• Flavour: the central combination of recognizable taste and aroma characteristics.
• Aftertaste: the flavours that remain after swallowing, assessed by their quality, intensity and duration.

Evaluating Flavour

A useful tasting description records both the identity and intensity of each sensation. Notes such as chocolate, caramel, flowers, citrus, berries or black tea should describe sensory associations rather than ingredients added to the coffee.

Processing method, coffee variety, origin and roast level can all influence the final cup. Comparing individual batches under consistent preparation conditions makes flavour assessments more meaningful.