First
Smell
Our sense of taste is directly influenced by our sense of smell. When tasting a coffee, smell it first. Place your hand over your coffee mug or tasting cup. Hold the cup close to your nose and inhale. What do you notice? Describe the aroma.
Second
Slurp
When tasting a coffee, it is important to slurp it. By slurping, you spray the coffee across your entire palate. This allows the subtle flavours and aromas to reach all the tasting zones of your tongue.
Third
Locate
As you taste a coffee, think about where you are experiencing flavours on your tongue. Note the weight of the coffee on your tongue.
Fourth
Describe
Use descriptive sensory words to express the dominant characteristics of the aroma, the flavour and the way the coffee feels in your mouth. Your own past experiences provide great reference points. What food or other experiences can you compare it with?
How to Speak Coffee
Glossary of
coffee terms
Know our coffee terminology.