How to read tasting notes without feeling silly

Nothing was added to your coffee. Tasting notes describe aromas and flavours that people reliably detect in a brewed cup — the result of the variety, where it grew, how the fruit was processed, and how it was roasted. They are a shorthand for what a coffee reminds tasters of.

Read the notes as a family, not a list

Individual words matter less than the group they belong to. Most notes fall into a handful of families, and the family tells you far more about whether you will enjoy the coffee than any single fruit does.

• Fruity and bright — citrus, berry, stone fruit. Higher acidity, lighter body, usually a lighter roast.
• Floral and tea-like — jasmine, bergamot, rose. Delicate, best black, easily buried by milk.
• Chocolate and cocoa — cocoa, dark chocolate, fudge. Rounded, low acidity, comfortable with milk.
• Nutty and malty — almond, pecan, biscuit. Gentle and familiar; a safe everyday choice.
• Caramel and sweet — toffee, honey, brown sugar. Sweetness-forward, very drinkable.
• Spice and earthy — clove, cedar, tobacco. Savoury depth, often darker roasts or particular origins.

Also read the process

"Washed" coffees tend to taste cleaner and more precise. "Natural" coffees, dried in the fruit, tend to taste heavier, fruitier and sometimes fermented or boozy. Neither is better; they are different intentions. If a natural process coffee once tasted overwhelming to you, that is useful information to bring to your next purchase.

Build your own vocabulary

You do not need a formal palate. Brew the same coffee twice, write down two words each time, and notice which words repeat. Within a month you will know your own preferences better than any label can tell you, and you will start buying coffee you actually finish.

Curious how roast level pushes these flavours around? Read what roast level actually changes.