The coffee flavor wheel groups tasting notes into families, from broad categories to specific descriptors. Use it to put words to what you taste.
| Flavor family | Common descriptors |
|---|---|
| Fruity | Berry, citrus, stone fruit, tropical |
| Floral | Jasmine, rose, chamomile |
| Sweet | Caramel, honey, vanilla, brown sugar |
| Nutty / Cocoa | Almond, hazelnut, chocolate |
| Spice | Cinnamon, clove, pepper |
| Roasted | Toast, smoke, ashy |
| Sour / Fermented | Winey, tart, overripe |
| Green / Vegetative | Grassy, herbal, raw |
Work broad to specific. Start with a broad family (is it fruity or nutty?), then narrow to a specific note. This mirrors how the Specialty Coffee flavor wheel is read, outer ring inward.
FAQ
Do I need to identify exact flavors to use the flavor wheel? No, start from the broad categories near the center, like fruity, nutty, or floral, and only work outward to specific notes if you can pick them out. Most tasters find broad categories useful long before they can identify specific flavor notes.
See the Coffee Bean Origin Guide and the Single Origin Coffee Guide.