SCA Flavour Wheel¶

The SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) Flavour Wheel is the coffee industry's standard tool for identifying, describing, and communicating coffee flavours. Developed collaboratively by SCA and World Coffee Research, it provides a systematic, hierarchical framework for flavour description.

Overview¶

Version: Current wheel released 2016 Developed by: SCA and World Coffee Research Based on: ../WCR Sensory Lexicon Purpose: Standardise flavour language across global coffee industry

Structure: - Circular, hierarchical design - Center → general categories - Outer rings → specific descriptors - Colour-coded by family - ~110 flavour attributes

Wheel Structure¶

Inner Ring - Major Categories¶

Nine Primary Families: 1. Fruity - Berry, citrus, stone fruit 2. Sour/Fermented - Acidity types, fermentation notes 3. Green/Vegetative - Fresh plant, herb, underripe 4. Other - Miscellaneous notes 5. Roasted - Grain, tobacco, pipe tobacco 6. Spices - Aromatic spices 7. Nutty/Cocoa - Nuts and chocolate 8. Sweet - Sugars, caramel, vanilla 9. Floral - Flower aromatics

Middle Ring - Sub-Categories¶

More Specific Groupings: - Berry → Blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry - Citrus → Grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime - Chocolate → Dark chocolate, milk chocolate - Floral → Jasmine, rose, chamomile

Outer Ring - Specific Descriptors¶

Precise Flavour Terms: - Most specific level - ~110 total descriptors - Based on chemical/sensory analysis - Validated through research

How to Use the Wheel¶

Starting Point¶

General to Specific: 1. Identify broad category first (e.g., "fruity") 2. Narrow to sub-category (e.g., "citrus") 3. Pinpoint specific descriptor (e.g., "lemon") 4. Can use multiple descriptors

Don't Force Precision: - Okay to stop at middle ring - "Citrus" acceptable if not sure which - Accuracy > false specificity - Build skill over time

In Cupping¶

SCA Cupping Protocol Application: 1. Smell dry grounds - note initial impressions 2. Break crust - identify aromatic notes 3. Taste at multiple temperatures 4. Use wheel as reference 5. Write specific descriptors

Best Practice: - Have wheel visible during cupping - Start broad, narrow down - Multiple descriptors encouraged - Note intensity alongside descriptor

In Communication¶

With Consumers: - Use outer ring for specificity - Clear, recognisable terms - Avoid jargon - "Blueberry and dark chocolate" vs. "fruity and sweet"

Among Professionals: - Full precision useful - Specific descriptors aid calibration - Shared language essential - Reference for training

Scientific Basis¶

WCR Sensory Lexicon¶

Development: - Funded research project - Chemically defined attributes - Reference standards created - Validated across countries and cultures

Methodology: - Identified volatile compounds - Created chemical standards - Trained panels to recognize - Defined concentration thresholds

Result: - First science-based coffee lexicon - Reproducible standards - Global applicability - Basis for flavour wheel

Validity and Reliability¶

Strengths: - Research-based - Internationally validated - Chemically grounded - Widely adopted

Limitations: - Not exhaustive (coffee has 800+ compounds) - Cultural interpretation varies - Experience-dependent recognition - Training required for full use

Common Descriptors Explained¶

Fruity Family¶

Fruity Flavours: - Most diverse category - Esters and aldehydes - Processing method influence - Natural process common

Berry: - Dark berries: Natural processed - Bright berries: Fermentation notes - Jammy: Extended fermentation

Citrus: - Lemon/lime: High acidity, washed - Orange: Sweeter, balanced - Grapefruit: Sharp, bright

Stone Fruit: - Peach/apricot: Smooth, sweet - Cherry: Wine-like, sometimes medicinal - Plum: Deep, rich

Tropical: - Pineapple: Bright, sometimes fermented - Mango: Sweet, aromatic - Passion fruit: Complex, intense

Floral Family¶

Floral Flavours: - Delicate, aromatic - Light roasts preserve - Ethiopian coffees common - Volatile, temperature-sensitive

Common Florals: - Jasmine: Sweet, perfume-like - Rose: Delicate, aromatic - Chamomile: Tea-like, soft - Lavender: Herbal-floral

Sweet Family¶

Sweet Flavours: - Roast-developed - Maillard reaction products - Caramelization - Balance indicator

Sugar-Related: - Brown sugar: Caramel notes - Molasses: Dark, rich - Honey: Complex sweetness - Maple syrup: Smooth, sweet

Chocolate: - Dark chocolate: Bitter-sweet, complex - Milk chocolate: Creamy, smooth - Cocoa: Dry, powder-like

Vanilla: - Creamy sweetness - Aromatic compound - Often naturally occurring

Nutty/Cocoa Family¶

Nutty Flavours: - Roast-developed - Medium roasts common - Pyrazines involved - Brazilian coffees typical

Types: - Almond: Sweet, delicate - Hazelnut: Rich, oily - Peanut: Often indicates under-roast - Walnut: Earthy, deep

Roasted Family¶

Roasted Flavours: - Roast degree indicator - Darker roasts dominate - Pyrolysis products - Can overwhelm origin

Levels: - Toast/grain: Light roast development - Roasted nuts: Medium development - Burnt/smoky: Dark roast - Ashy: Over-roasted

Green/Vegetative Family¶

Green/Vegetative Flavours: - Under-roast indicator - Fresh plant material - Sometimes terroir-driven - Often undesirable

Types: - Fresh: Herbal, aromatic (can be positive) - Green beans: Under-roast defect - Grassy: Insufficient development - Hay/straw: Dry vegetative

Sour/Fermented Family¶

Types: - Sour: Sharp acidity (Acetic Acid) - Vinegar: Over-fermentation defect - Winey: Positive fermentation (Kenya) - Fermented: Can be defect or character

Spices Family¶

Spicy Flavours: - Complexity indicator - Often natural processed - Aromatic compounds - Adds interest

Common: - Cinnamon: Sweet spice - Clove: Aromatic, strong - Pepper: Sharp, piquant - Anise: Licorice-like

Other Category¶

Miscellaneous: - Papery: Storage defect - Rubber: Processing defect - Earthy: Terroir or defect - Winey: Positive or fermentation

Training with the Wheel¶

Beginner Approach¶

Start Simple: 1. Use only inner ring initially 2. Identify if fruity, sweet, floral, etc. 3. Build confidence 4. Gradually use middle ring 5. Eventually specific descriptors

Practice: - Cup regularly - Compare to wheel - Don't overthink - Trust instincts - Learn from others

Intermediate Development¶

Expand Vocabulary: - Use middle and outer rings - Try specific descriptors - Compare with references - Calibrate with others - Study ../WCR Sensory Lexicon

Exercises: - Blind descriptor matching - Reference standard cupping - Origin characteristic profiling - Process method comparison

Advanced Mastery¶

Precision: - Consistent specific descriptors - Multiple layered descriptions - Quality modifiers - Intensity notation - Teaching others

Limitations and Considerations¶

What the Wheel Doesn't Capture¶

Missing Elements: - Intensity levels - Quality assessments (good/bad) - Mouthfeel attributes - Defect severity - Context and balance

Separate Evaluation: - Body Scoring - Acidity Scoring - Sweetness Scoring - Balance Scoring - Overall Scoring

Cultural Variations¶

Recognition Differences: - Tropical fruits unfamiliar in some regions - Spices vary by culture - Berry types differ - Reference points vary

Solutions: - Local equivalents acceptable - Training with standards - Shared calibration - Cultural sensitivity

Skill Requirements¶

Not Intuitive: - Requires training - Practice essential - Reference standards helpful - Calibration needed - Time to develop expertise

Digital and Physical Tools¶

Physical Wheels: - Poster versions available - Desktop reference cards - Laminated for cupping labs - SCA shop official source

Digital: - Counter Culture Coffee app - SCA website PDF - Mobile-friendly versions - Interactive online tools

Training Kits: - Le Nez du Café - Flavour Standards - Reference compound sets - Coffee varietal sets

Other Wheels: - Wine aroma wheel (inspiration) - Beer flavour wheel - Tea tasting wheel - Cocoa flavour wheel

Coffee-Specific: - ../WCR Sensory Lexicon - Scientific basis - Coffee Taster's Flavour Wheel (legacy version) - Roasters Guild version - Regional variations