Acidity: A measure of the acid content of the liquid; in fine coffees acidity results in a pleasant sharpness. Not to be associated with the genuinely sour taste of inferior coffees.
Aftertaste: The sensation of brewed coffee vapors released after swallowing. Characteristics will range from carbony to chocolaty, spicy to turpeny
Aroma: The sensation of the gases released from brewed coffee; may be described as ranging from fruity to herby.
Bitter: Perceived by the back of the tongue and characterized by solutions of quinine, caffeine, and other alkaloids; usually caused by over-roasting.
Bland: Perceived by the sides of the tongue and ranging in taste from "soft" to neutral. Found often in washed Arabica coffees.
Body: Associated with mouth feel and texture, this should be a strong, full, pleasant characteristic.
Bouquet: The total aromatic profile, resulting from compounds in the fragrance, aroma and aftertaste.
Caramelly: A common aromatic sensation; reminiscent of candy or syrup.
Carbony: A common aromatic sensation in dark-roasted coffees, reminiscent of a burnt substance.
Chocolaty: A common aromatic sensation in a brew's aftertaste, reminiscent of unsweetened chocolate or vanilla.
Delicate: Related to mellow; characterized by a fragile, subtle flavor; perceived by the tip of the tongue.
Dirty: An unclean smell or taste that can be specific, such as sourness or mustiness, or a more generalized taint that reminds one of eating dirt.
Flat: Used when describing bouquet to denote a lack of strong perceptions in fragrance, aroma, and after-taste.
Flavor: The experience of aromatics once the coffee is in the mouth.
Fragrance: The aromatic sensations inhaled by sniffing; Can be described as ranging from sweetly floral to sweetly spicy.
Fruity: The aromatic sensation reminiscent of citrus fruit or berries.
Grassy: Used to describe an odor and/or taste in some coffees that is reminiscent of a freshly mown lawn, with an accompanying astringency like that of green grass.
Harsh: A hard, raspy, often caustic flavor sometimes described as "rioy".
Mellow: A rounded, smooth taste, characteristically lacking in acidity.
Mild: Refers to a coffee that lacks any overriding characteristic, either pleasant or unpleasant.
Mouth feel: The tactile sensations the coffee produces on your palate.
Muddy: A dull, indistinct, and thickish flavor that can be caused by the grounds being agitated.
Musty: A flavor that often occurs due to poor storage or lack of sufficient drying, aging, or overheating. In aged coffee mustiness is not necessarily undesirable.
Nutty: An aromatic sensation that is released as a brew is swallowed; reminiscent of roasted nuts.
Neutral: A flavor characteristic that is desirable in good blenders. Used to denote a lack of any strong flavors.
Rich: Used when describing bouquet to denote intense perceptions of fragrance, aroma, and aftertaste.
Rioy: A somewhat grainy or starchy taste, like potato soup in texture.
Rough: Characterized by a parched sensation on the tongue, related to sharp, salty taste sensations.
Rubbery: Caused when fruit is allowed to partially dry while still on the tree, this is a fault that gives beans the character of burnt rubber. It is found mostly in dry-processed robustas, not Arabicas.
Soft: The absence of the parched sensation on the tongue; related to bland.
Sour: Related to over-acidity; a sharp, biting flavor, often from under ripe beans.
Spicy: An aromatic and taste perception reminiscent of spices.
Sweet: Free of any harshness.
Taint: A chemical change in the bean brought about by any number of internal or external changes, which results in a change in the coffee's flavor.
Thin: Related to under brewing, resulting in a coffee lacking in any acidity.
Watery: Caused by the wrong water-to-coffee ratio, which results in the low level of oils in the coffee.
Wild: A gamey flavor often associated with Ethiopian coffees.
Winey: Reminiscent of a well-matured red wine; characterized by a full-bodied, smooth coffee. Often found in Kenyan and Yemeni coffees.