A bag of specialty coffee lists tasting notes like peach, milk chocolate, and Earl Grey. Are those really in there? No: the roaster describes what you can taste. Nothing is added. But how do you know which flavors you like? We'll take you through ten flavor families you might encounter in your cup, from spicy to funky.
Where do those flavors come from?
A coffee's flavor depends on several things: where it grows (origin), how the coffee cherries are processed after harvest (natural, washed, and anaerobic), and how dark the beans are roasted (roast level). That's why certain flavors are associated with particular countries. You'll see that reflected below.
The ten flavor families
1. Spicy
You taste: cinnamon, clove, pepper.
Warm spices in the finish. Often found in coffees from Indonesia and India. Browse our spicy coffees.
2. Chocolate
You taste: cocoa, dark chocolate, caramel.
Deep, rounded, and smooth. Typical of coffees from Brazil and Colombia. Browse our chocolate coffees.
3. Nutty
You taste: almond, hazelnut, walnut.
Smooth and full-bodied, with little acidity. Common in coffees from Brazil and Guatemala. Browse our nutty coffees.
4. Baked goods
You taste: cookie, brioche, cheesecake.
A sweet, buttery impression that mainly develops during roasting. Browse our baked goods coffees.
5. Sweet
You taste: honey, toffee, brown sugar.
Sweetness balances all the other flavors in your cup. Browse our sweet coffees.
6. Berries
You taste: blueberry, raspberry, blackberry.
Juicy and lively. Often found in natural coffees from Ethiopia. Browse our berry coffees.
7. Ripe fruit
You taste: pear, peach, apricot.
Soft and juicy, with mild acidity. Browse our ripe fruit coffees.
8. Floral
You taste: jasmine, rose, bergamot.
Light and fragrant, like tea. Classic in Ethiopian coffee, such as Yirgacheffe. Browse our floral coffees.
9. Citrus
You taste: lemon, orange, grapefruit.
A bright, clean acidity. Often found in coffee from Kenya and Rwanda. Browse our citrus coffees.
10. Funky
You taste: wine-like, tropical, fermented.
Adventurous and intense, due to the fermentation of the coffee cherries. You'll either love it or you won't. Browse our funky coffees.
How to taste mindfully
- Read the tasting notes on the bag and find the corresponding flavor family. Find out how in how to read a coffee bag.
- Smell your cup first, then take a slow sip.
- Taste it again once the coffee has cooled a little. The flavors often come through better then.
- Taste two coffees from different flavor families side by side. That way, you'll quickly discover which you like best.
Sour and bright isn't the same as bitter. Read more in sour isn't bad.
Every coffee has its own flavor story
Taste mindfully and discover which flavors you like best. Want to taste several flavors side by side? Take a look at our sample packs: they contain several coffees.
Ready to taste?
- Browse our specialty coffee and choose by flavor.
- Taste several flavors with a sample pack.
- More about flavors? Read our article about the flavor palette.
