Why do bags list tasting notes?
Tasting notes aren’t marketing fluff - they’re a shorthand language developed by professional coffee tasters (cuppers) to communicate what a coffee tastes like, before you buy it. They emerged from a formal industry practice called cupping, where trained tasters evaluate coffees on a standardised scale.
Here’s the important nuance: roasters aren’t adding blueberry flavouring to their coffee. Those notes occur naturally because of the bean’s origin, genetics, processing method, and roast level. Coffee contains hundreds of flavour compounds - more than wine - and different compounds express as different familiar flavours to the human palate.
The main flavour families - and what they signal
Tasting notes generally cluster into a few broad families. Here’s what each group tends to indicate:
Fruity
e.g. Blueberry, cherry, strawberry, citrus, tropical fruit
Often indicates a light roast, natural or honey process, and/or an African origin like Ethiopia or Kenya. High acidity tends to bring out fruit-forward notes.
Floral
e.g. Jasmine, rose, lavender, orange blossom
Usually associated with Ethiopian coffees, particularly washed varieties. Light roast and precise brewing helps these delicate notes survive into the cup.
Nutty / Chocolatey
e.g. Almond, hazelnut, dark chocolate, cocoa, walnut
Common in medium to medium-dark roasts and Latin American origins like Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia. Approachable and crowd-pleasing.
Caramel / Sweet
e.g. Caramel, brown sugar, toffee, molasses, honey
Often found in well-roasted medium coffees. Indicates good sweetness development - a sign of quality roasting. Very common in Colombian and Central American coffees.
Spice / Earthy
e.g. Cinnamon, clove, cedar, tobacco, leather, soil
Frequently found in Indonesian coffees like Sumatra and Sulawesi. Common in darker roasts. A preference thing - some love it, others find it too rustic.
Bright / Acidic
e.g. Lemon, grapefruit, green apple, white wine
Higher-grown coffees or light roasts. Acidity is a good thing in specialty coffee - it adds vibrancy and complexity. Not to be confused with sourness, which indicates under-extraction.
How to actually taste your coffee
Most people drink coffee out of habit, not attention. Slowing down for even 60 seconds changes what you notice. Here’s a simple process:
- 1
Smell it before you sip
Most of what we perceive as flavour is actually aroma. Bring the cup close and inhale - what does it remind you of? Chocolate? Berries? Toasted nuts? Your brain will try to match it to something familiar.
- 2
Slurp - loudly
Professional tasters slurp coffee to aerate it across the palate. It sounds undignified, but it spreads the liquid across all taste receptors and volatilises aromatics. Give it a try.
- 3
Notice the finish
How does it feel after you swallow? Does the flavour linger (long finish) or disappear quickly (short finish)? Is there a pleasant aftertaste, or something drying or bitter?
- 4
Let it cool
Hot liquid suppresses some flavour perception. Coffee at around 55 - 65°C reveals more complexity. Many tasting notes become clearer as your cup cools - especially fruit and floral notes.
- 5
Try to find one note
Don't pressure yourself to identify every descriptor on the bag. Pick one - does it taste sweet? Is there something fruity? Does it remind you of chocolate? Start there.
Acidity vs sourness - what’s the difference?
This trips up a lot of people. In specialty coffee, acidity is desirable - it’s the brightness that makes Ethiopian coffee taste like fruit tea, or a Kenyan coffee taste like black currant. It’s lively and pleasant.
Sourness is a flaw - it usually means the coffee is under-extracted (not enough dissolved from the grounds) or the beans are past their prime. Acidity feels clean and bright; sourness feels sharp, thin, and unpleasant.
| Acidity (good) | Sourness (bad) |
|---|---|
| Bright, clean, lively | Sharp, harsh, unpleasant |
| Reminds you of citrus or fruit | Reminds you of vinegar |
| Fades cleanly | Lingers uncomfortably |
| Intentional - part of the profile | A brewing or freshness problem |
Origin cheat sheet
If you want to explore a specific flavour family, origin is a great place to start:
- EthiopiaFloral, blueberry, tea-like. The most naturally fruit-forward coffees in the world.
- KenyaBold acidity, black currant, tomato, dark fruit. Complex and distinctive.
- ColombiaCaramel, red apple, mild citrus. Balanced and very approachable.
- GuatemalaChocolate, walnut, brown sugar. Full body, low acidity.
- BrazilNutty, milk chocolate, low acidity. The most approachable on this list.
- SumatraEarthy, cedar, herbal. Bold and unusual - an acquired taste.
Put your tasting skills to work.
Browse beans by origin, process, and flavour notes - and start finding coffees you genuinely love.