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Gourmet Coffee Profiling: Distinguishing Flavors, Make a Favorite Cup!

It’s a small world, after all: global coffee profiles.
A useful tool for picking your favorite gourmet coffee is the Global Gourmet Coffees Profile Chart we’ve created. It is a roadmap to some of the finest coffees in the world. It also illustrates some of the flavor characteristics unique to the main coffee growing regions around the world.

Note to Readers: The taste profiles and characteristics discussed in this article apply to drip coffee. Flavor characteristics and descriptions will change with alternate brewing processes.

This at-a-glance chart shows you flavor characteristics for some of the finest gourmet coffees on the planet. These are varietal gourmet coffees – not blends. For a comparison to wine, think of regions such as Sonoma County. (In wine, “estate vintages” draw more of a comparison to what we refer to in coffee as “single estates.”)
The chart indicates values for three key facets of taste: body, acidity and balance. A very brief description is also provided.

Regional Coffee Flavor Profiles

Region	Body	Acidity	Balance	Brief Description
Central America				Balanced, Smooth, Nutty, Fragrant, Medium Acidity
Caribbean				Excellent, Balanced, Smooth and Clear, Nutty, Chocolaty, Fragrant, Sharp
South America				Mild, Soft, Balanced, Sharper than Central Americans
African				Sharp, Pronounced, Clean, Assertive, Robust, Strong
Asia/ Hawaiian				Full to Heavy Bodied, Smooth, Syrupy, Low Acidity, Sometimes Spicy or Winey
India				Spicy, Can be Earthy, Unusual, Distinct and Complex

Individual taste preferences are important. So are variety and experimentation. The chart will point you in the direction of certain taste characteristics so you can select coffee based on your preferences – or explore new varieties and enjoy different flavors.

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