When you hear someone describe a coffee as having “notes of chocolate and red fruit,” they are not talking about added flavors. Coffee flavor notes are natural sensory characteristics present in the beans — tastes and aromas that develop throughout the coffee’s journey from seed to cup.
What Are Flavor Notes?
Flavor notes are the distinct tastes and aromas that a trained palate can identify in a cup of coffee. These can range from fruity and floral to nutty, chocolatey, or even spicy. They are not artificial additions but rather the natural result of the bean’s origin, variety, processing, and roasting.
How Do Flavor Notes Develop?
Several factors influence the flavor profile of a coffee:
Origin
The terroir — climate, altitude, soil, and rainfall — where the coffee is grown plays a fundamental role. Coffees from Ethiopia tend to have floral and fruity notes, while Brazilian coffees often present nutty and chocolate characteristics.
Variety
Different coffee varieties (Bourbon, Catuai, Geisha, etc.) have distinct genetic profiles that predispose them to certain flavors.
Processing
The method used to remove the fruit from the bean significantly affects flavor. Natural (dry) processing tends to produce fruitier, sweeter coffees, while washed processing results in cleaner, brighter cups.
Roasting
The roast profile brings out or subdues certain characteristics. Lighter roasts preserve more of the origin’s natural flavors, while darker roasts develop caramelization and body.
How to Train Your Palate
Identifying flavor notes is a skill that anyone can develop with practice:
- Start with basics - Try to distinguish between broad categories: is it fruity, nutty, or chocolatey?
- Compare coffees side by side - Tasting different origins together highlights their differences
- Use the SCA Flavor Wheel - This tool provides a shared vocabulary for describing coffee flavors
- Taste mindfully - Slow down, pay attention to the aroma before tasting, and notice how flavors change as the coffee cools
- Keep notes - Writing down your impressions helps you build a sensory memory
Common Flavor Families
- Fruity - Berries, citrus, stone fruit, tropical fruit
- Nutty - Almond, hazelnut, peanut, walnut
- Chocolate - Dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa
- Sweet - Caramel, honey, brown sugar, molasses
- Floral - Jasmine, rose, lavender, orange blossom
Want to explore coffee flavor notes in person? Come to Consciencia Cafe and let our baristas guide you through a sensory journey!