Professional coffeeasters use a great variety of terms to describe the taste of different coffees in the process normally known as cupping. Why not learn a few of these terms and next time you find yourself at a dinner party enjoying your after dinner coffee you can amaze your friends with your coffee knowledge?

Below are some common terms used – it is not meant to be an exhaustive list

Astringent – A secondary taste sensation noted by a salty sensation on the sides of the tongue. Caused by acids increasing the saltiness.

Baggy – An unpleasant taste often found in poorly roasted coffees that have been stored for a long time inappropriate conditions.

Baked – A flat aroma with insipid taste often caused by roasting for too long at too low a temperature.

Beany – The smell associated with insufficiently roasted coffee that has not been able to allowed to develop its full aroma.

Bitter – Sharp or biting sensation felt at the back of the tongue often the result of over roasting the coffee bean.

Bland – Lacking in any noticeable flavor characteristics.

Bready – A bread-like taste that can occur in coffees that have not been roasted long enough or at a high enough temperature to bring out the flavor of the oils.

Bright – A dryness or sharpness (typical of Central American coffees).

Buttery – Rich and oily.

Caramelly – Suggestive of toffee or caramel.

Carbony – A burnt of charcoal flavor.

Chocolaty – Suggestive of vanilla or chocolate.

Creamy – High levels of coffee oils suspended in the brew.

Delicate – A secondary taste sensation noted for its weak sweet-subtle feeling just past the tip of the tongue.

Dirty – Unclean smelling or mustiness.

Earthy 'Characteristic smell of soil or dirt often caused when the coffee beans are stored on the ground after harvesting (typical of Sumatran coffees)

Exotic – Unusual aroma and flavor, such as berry or floral.

Fermented – An unpleasant taste producing a sour sensation. The result of enzyme activity in the green coffee beans changing the sugars to acids in the drying process during harvesting.

Flat – A loss of aroma.

Fragrant or floral – Subtitle hints of fragrant flowers such as jasmine.

Fruity – A sweet fruity aroma suggestive of berries or citrus fruit.

Grassy – Suggestive of freshly cut grass.

Green – A flaw herbal taste due to the incomplete development of the sugar compounds in the roasting process.

Hard – A hard coffee is poorly balanced. It is a secondary taste sensation of sourness on the bottom sides of the tongue. Caused by higher-than-normal percentage of sour acids. Ranking of hardness ranges thus: strictly soft, soft, softish, softish / hardish, hardish, hard, Rioy.

Harsh – A hard or caustic taste.

Heavy – Higher than average levels of suspended material in the brew.

Herby. Suggestive of onion or green vegetable.

Hidey – A leather-like odor caused when too much heat is applied during the drying process causing the coffee beans fats to break down.

Insipid – A brew of lifeless character often the result of oxygen and moisture penetrating the bean fiber after roasting.

Lifeless – Thin and flat.

Light – Lower than average levels of suspended material in the coffee brew.

Malty – Suggestive of toasted grains.

Mellow – An overall smooth, mild and deficient flavor lacking in acidity.

Muddy – Thick and lifeless.

Musty – A stuffy or moldy smell which can be a positive trait for processed coffees such as Java.

Neutral – The absence of a predominant taste sensation.

Nippy – A secondary taste of sweetness, associated with a nipping sensation at the end of the tongue.

Nutty – Smell and taste suggestive of roasted nuts.

Oily – The description given to a coffee that has an oily taste.

Oniony – Suggestive ofions.

Peasy – A disagreeable taste that is reminiscent of peas.

Piquant – A sweet, prickling sensation at the tip of the tongue, typified by a Kenya AA coffee.

Point – A coffee with good overall characteristics of acidity, body and flavor.

Potatoy – Suggestive of raw potatoes.

Pulpy – A pungent fruit-like flavor derived from coffee cherry skins.

Pungent – Description given to a full-bodied and forceful coffee.

Quakery – Suggestive of peanuts, often the result of using unripe, green coffee beans.

Rancid – A highly disagreeable taste caused by oxidization of the coffee.

Rich – Strong presence of coffee aromas.

Rioy – An iodine-like flavor caused by continuing enzyme activity that occurs when the fruit partly dies on the coffee tree before harvesting.

Round – The coffee characteristics are so well balanced that no particular taste dominates to experience.

Rough – A secondary sensation noted by its grating, salty sensation on the tongue.

Rubbery – reminiscent of burnt rubber.

Scorched – A smoky or burnt aroma and taste caused when the beans are roasted too quickly at too high temperature which char the surface of the beans.

Stale – An unpleasant taste caused by oxygen and moisture penetrating the beans surface.

Sharp – An astringent taste derived from salty tasting compounds within the coffee.

Smooth – Low levels of oily compounds suspended in the beverage.

Soft – A secondary sensation noted by an absence of any predominant taste on any part of the tongue, except maybe for subtle dryness.

Sound – A coffee with no particular positive or negative characteristics.

Sour – A piercing, sour over acidic taste commonly caused by under-ripe beans.

Spicy – An aftertaste suggestive of cinnamon or clove.

Strawy – Suggestive of hay or straw, often from the result of the loss of organic material from the green coffee beans while in storage.

Strong – A coffee, rich in flavor that gives a strong strong taste.

Sweaty – A coffee that may have been stored inappropriately resulting in a distinct sweaty taste.

Sweetly Spicy – An aroma suggestive of aromatic spices such as cardamom.

Sweet – free from harshness.

Tangy – A secondary sensation noted by a predominately sour sensation along the sides of the tongue hinting of a fruity sensation.

Tart – A sour puckering sensation experienced on the tongue.

Tipped – A cereal-like taste caused by the beans being roasted too quickly that chars the tips of the beans.

Thick – A high level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a heavy feel.

Thin – A low level of solid material suspended in the beverage giving it a watery feel.

Twisty – A coffee with different negative qualities that vary from cup to cup.

Turpsy – Suggestive of turpentine.

Unclean – Coffee with a distinct off-flavor suggesting they have been kept in an unclean environment. A taste and aroma with a hint of fermenting.

Variety – A qualitative depiction of the gases present in the aroma, nose and aftertaste of coffee's bouquet.

Watery – Lacking in body.

Weak – A beverage that is not flat but definitely lacks body.

Winey – An agreeable taste that gives the impression of a good wine.

Wild – A distinct wood-like taste caused by storing the beans too long.

Woody – A coffee with an unpleasant smell and taste similar to dry wood. This can be due to the loss of organic material in the green beans during storage.