Coffee Attributes

Simply put, all coffees from their specific country/territory of origin, have their own unique attributes, which make them special and different from one another. Many also share some qualities as well, which make them alike. Much like people, chocolate & wine. 

When coffees are cupped, these are the attributes measured

Fragrance/Aroma

Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, and Balance

Sweetness, Uniformity, and Cleanliness

Coffees may share bright, fruited, spicy, floral sweetly acidic qualities for a very bold sweet crisp cup. Coffees may share more mild, low acid, earthly, balanced qualities with brown sugar, caramel, nut or chocolate notes for a more mellow, well rounded, smooth cup. They are all alike, and they are all different! It depends on where the coffee comes from and the degree of roast. Lighter roasts will have more bright, floral, citric qualities, and those same coffees roasted to a darker degree, will caramelize those sugars to exhibit more caramel, bittersweet chocolate, stone fruit notes. 

There are some specific cup characteristics that the Specialty Coffee Industry has identified as standard & consistent for many coffees cultivated per country of origin. Cup characteristics vary depending on coffee varietal, origin, processing method & degree of roast.

Not all coffees share these cup characteristics. All coffees cup characteristics change with the degree of roast. 

These are the most popular:

Bolivia -  Bolivian coffee is known for its clean, bright, and aromatic cup with subtle fruit notes like apple, pear, and tangerine, along with malty, chocolatey, and nutty flavors, often described as having a crisp kick and a creamy body.
 

Brazil - low acid, soft, creamy, nut & chocolate roasts notes. A crowd pleasing cup.

Burundi - Burundi coffees are known for their sweet flavor with bright acidity, often featuring notes of citrus, berries, and floral undertones. They typically have a rich body and a clean, vibrant profile due to the unique processing methods used.

Columbia - silky clean, crisp, spicy, creamy, cane sugar sweetness, floral, fruit, milk chocolate & vanilla notes.

Costa Rica - low acid, mild, clean, vanilla, nut & chocolate notes. A classic cup

El Salvador - low acid, clean, citrus, caramel, berry & chocolate notes. 

Ethiopia - bold, creamy, bright, stone fruit, spicy, citrus notes

Guatemalan - full body, creamy, bittersweet cocoa, caramel, milk chocolate, nut, toffee notes

Hawaii - mild, fruited, syrupy body, milk chocolate, honey, brown sugar, rich

Indonesia - low acid, bold, rustic, complex, syrupy body, heavy, earthy, spicy, stone fruit & dark chocolate 

Honduran - low acid, mild & smooth, with cocoa notes

Jamaica - smooth, mild bright notes, floral, herbal, nutty

Kenya - rich, deep complex wine like acidity, bright fruited citrus or berry notes, 

Mexico- light/medium body, mild acidity, spicy, stone fruit, milk chocolate almond notes

Nicaragua- mild acidity, smooth body, balanced sweetness, vanilla & nut notes

Rwandan - Rwandan coffees are known for their bright acidity and complex flavors, often featuring floral and citrus notes, with a clean and tea-like body. They are prized for their sweet, caramel-like aroma and hints of berries, lemon & orange.

Tanzania- rich, candy sweetness, bright winey acidity, full body, creamy, berry, stone fruit, chocolaty

Yemen- rich, rustic, complex, earthy, fruited, winey, chocolaty, spicy

Zambia-  Zambian coffee, particularly from the Northern Province, is known for its balanced flavor profile, moderate complexity, and smooth, full-bodied taste, with notes of chocolate and cherry