Acidity: a sharp, pleasing quality that highlights the flavor and creates a lively cup. A coffee's acidity level can be high, medium, low or nonexistent, in which case the coffee tastes flat and dull.

Balanced A coffee that does not localize at any one point on the palate; in other words, it is not imbalanced in the direction of some one (often undesirable) taste characteristic. As a term of general evaluation, balance appears to mean that no one quality overwhelms all others. A well-balanced coffee contains all the basic characteristics to the right extent.

Bitter: a harsh, unpleasant taste detected on the back of the tongue. Coffee that has been over-extracted or over-roasted is often bitter.

Bouquet The total aromatic profile, resulting from compounds in the fragrance, aroma, and aftertaste.

Body: the impression of weight and texture in the mouth. Coffees can be watery, thin, slight, light, medium, full, heavy, thick or even syrupy in body. Textures include oily, buttery, rich, smooth, and chewy. Body also varies with the brewing process. (French Press coffee, for example, has a much heavier body than drip coffee).

Buttery: An oily, rich flavor and texture, characteristic of some Indonesian Verietals and those brewing methods which feature substantial quantities of coffee particles in suspension (French Press and Espresso Machine).

Caramelly A common aromatic sensation; reminiscent of candy or syrup.

Chocolaty A common aromatic sensation in a brew's aftertaste, reminiscent of unsweetened chocolate or vanilla.

Complexity: The perception of multiple flavors.

Delicate Related to mellow; characterized by a fragile, subtle flavor; perceived by the tip of the tongue. Found in washed New Guinea Arabica coffees.

Earthy: a spicy, "of the earth" taste mostly found in Indonesian coffees.

Exotic: Refers to coffees with unusual aromatic and flavor notes ('floral', 'berry-like' and 'sweet-spice like')

Flat: a dull, lifeless quality due to lack of acidity.

Flavor: The total impression of a coffee described in terms such as aroma, acidity and body.

Fragrance The aromatic sensations inhaled by sniffing; can be described as ranging from floral to spicy.

Fruity: a flavor taint that is said to come from overripe fruit pulp.

Grassy Used to describe an odor and/or taste in some coffees that is reminiscent of a freshly mown lawn, with accompanying astringency like that of green grass.

Light: Used to describe aroma, acidity or body.

Mellow: a full, well-balanced, satisfying coffee, Implies low or medium acidity.

Mild Refers to coffee that lacks any overriding characteristic, either pleasant or unpleasant.

Mouthfeel The tactile sensations the coffee produces on your palate. How a coffee "feels" in your mouth.

Muddy A dull, indistinct, and thickish flavor that can be caused by the grounds being agitated.

Musty A flavor that often occurs due to poor storage or lack of sufficient drying, aging, or overheating. In aged coffees, mustiness is not necessarily undesirable.

Neutral A flavor characteristic that is desirable in good blenders. Used to denote a lack of any strong flavors.

Nutty: a specific flavor nuance suggesting almonds or other nuts. Can also be used to describe a coffee with a lack of flavor.

Rich: Indicates deep and complex flavor and a full body.

Rough Characterized by a parched sensation on the tongue, related to sharp, salty taste sensations.

Sour: not to be confused with acidity. A distinctively sour, rank or rancid taste is a defect often due to improper processing or under-ripe beans.

Spicy: a fine aroma or flavor that hints of particular spices.

Strong Coffee giving a pungent impression in the cup, rich in flavor. Developed by roasting or having a consistent mouthfeel.

Sweet Free of any harshness.

Tangy A secondary coffee taste sensation characterized by a predominantly darting, sour sensation along the sides of the tongue. Caused by a high-than-normal percentage of sugars, giving the taste almost a fruity sensation.

Thick A relatively high level of solid material suspended in the coffee beverage. A result of fine particles of bean fiber and insoluble proteins present in substantial amounts. Most often characteristic of espresso-style coffee.

Thin Related to underbrewing, resulting in coffee lacking in any acidity; also referred to as lifeless.

Watery Caused by wrong water-to-coffee ratio, which results in a low level of oils in the coffee. This is mouthfeel.

Wild A gamey flavor often associated with Ethiopian coffees.

Winey Reminiscent of a well-matured red wine; characterized by a full-bodied smooth coffee. Often found in Kenyan and Yemeni coffees.

Woody: An oak flavor characteristic attributed to poor quality, stale coffee.