For almost thirty years, experts have been mapping the diverse flavor profiles of coffee from around the world. The Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel maps out 110 flavor attributes from fruity to nutty. With so many flavors possible to uncover in your morning cup, how can you identify the flavors you like and where they come from?

Map Your Coffee’s Flavors
Step 1: Observe the Process
Identifying the flavor attributes of coffee doesn’t just start with your first sip. Most flavors peek both taste and smell, so it is important to observe your beans at every stage. From the moment you start grinding your beans through the entire brewing process, you can make note of the scents that are present, helping you start to identify the flavors before you even take a sip.

Step 2: Start at the Center of the Map
The Coffee Tasters Flavor Wheel is designed to be read from the center outward. The most general flavor descriptions start near the center and get more complex as you work your way out. When you are tasting your coffee, start by identifying the most basic flavors first, like floral, fruity, or nutty.

Step 3: Work Your Way Outward 
Once you’ve identified the basic flavor, you can start to build a more complex profile by working your way outward. For example, if you identified the base flavor as being “fruity,” you can then go on to determine the beans have a “berry” flavor. After further tasting, you can determine the type of, like “blueberry.”  

Coffee Flavors by Region 
Factors like soil, rainfall, access to clean water, and sunlight all affect the flavors of a bean. That’s why flavors are so distinct and varied across regions.

Now that you’ve identified the flavors you like in your coffee, you can start to determine the best regions to purchase your beans from. We give a breakdown of where you can find your favorite flavors in A Torke Expert’s Guide to Coffee Region Flavor Profiles for Beginners. Do you already know where you like your coffee from? Check out some of our favorites from each region:

South America: The Weeden Creek Peru has well-balanced flavors of floral and apple.
Central America: The Weeden Creek Guatemala has complex cherry and caramel notes with a slightly sweet finish.
Africa: The Weeden Creek Ethiopia carries distinct fruit flavors.
Asia & Pacific Islands: The Fancy Kona Blend is a velvety-smooth light roast.

At Torke Coffee, our family has been expertly cupping and mapping out the flavor of our beans for four generations. Our goal is to always provide you a high-quality cup with your favorite flavor profiles. That way, no matter if you’re a coffee connoisseur or a novice learning the blends you like, we’re able to help you find the best coffee for you.

Shop our Torke and Weeden Creek coffees sourced from around the world today!