The data visualization below was generated using tasting note data from 1,200 single origin coffees from hundreds of small roasters around the US. The width of each slice is proportional to the number of coffees in the sample that were described using that particular term. Other coffee flavor wheels you may have seen in cafes or roasteries are visual dictionaries of all accepted terms that “could” be used to describe coffee (as per industry organizations or trade groups). The wheel below shows the terms that roasters are actually using, the terms that you will see on your next bag of coffee.
This is a real coffee flavor wheel, based on 1,200 actual single origin coffees and their tasting notes as described by the roasters. The size of each slice is proportionate to the frequency that note is mentioned across the 1,200 coffees …
How does the taste of coffee vary based on the region it originates from? There are clear patterns when it comes to the dominant notes of coffees from different coffee-growing regions around the world …
How does the flavor of coffee vary with the altitude at which it was grown? What primary tasting notes are more common from lower-altitude coffees, as opposed to higher altitudes? …
What roast level and tasting note pairings are common? Where are the pockets of uniqueness? Can a dark roast really have a citrus as a primary tasting note? …
