Last Updated on December 9, 2023
Do you ever struggle to find just the right word to describe your coffee?
Let’s give you 110 to choose from.
The following list of coffee notes comes from the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel published in 1995 and updated in 2016 by the Specialty Coffee Association in collaboration with World Coffee Research. It covers just about everything you might taste in your coffee.
List of Coffee Notes
- Roasted
- Pipe tobacco
- Tobacco
- Burnt
- Acrid
- Ashy
- Smoky
- Brown, Roast
- Cereal
- Grain
- Malt
- Spices
- Pungent
- Pepper
- Brown Spice
- Anise
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Nutty/Cocoa
- Nutty
- Peanuts
- Hazelnut
- Almond
- Cocoa
- Chocolate
- Dark chocolate
- Nutty
- Sweet
- Brown sugar
- Molasses
- Maple syrup
- Caramelized
- Honey
- Vanilla
- Vanillin
- Overall sweet
- Sweet aromatics
- Brown sugar
- Floral
- Black tea
- Floral
- Chamomile
- Rose
- Jasmine
- Fruity
- Berry
- Blackberry
- Raspberry
- Blueberry
- Strawberry
- Dried fruit
- Raisin
- Prune
- Other fruit
- Coconut
- Cherry
- Pomegranate
- Pineapple
- Grape
- Apple
- Peach
- Pear
- Citrus fruit
- Grapefruit
- Orange
- Lemon
- Lime
- Berry
- Sour/Fermented
- Sour
- Sour aromatics
- Acetic acid
- Butyric acid
- Isovaleric acid
- Citric acid
- Malic acid
- Alcohol/Fermented
- Winey
- Whiskey
- Fermented
- Overripe
- Sour
- Green/Vegetable
- Olive oil
- Raw
- Green/Vegetative
- Under-ripe
- Peapod
- Fresh
- Dark green
- Vegetative
- Hay-like
- Herb-like
- Beany
- Other
- Papery/Musty
- Stale
- Cardboard
- Papery
- Woody
- Moldy/Damp
- Musty/Dusty
- Musty/Earthy
- Animalic
- Meaty/Brothy
- Phenolic
- Chemical
- Bitter
- Salty
- Medicinal
- Petroleum
- Skunky
- Rubber
- Papery/Musty
