ISO 18794:2025
(Main)Coffee — Sensory analysis — Vocabulary
Coffee — Sensory analysis — Vocabulary
This document defines terms related to coffee sensory analysis. This document includes definitions applicable to green, roasted and ground coffee, coffee extracts and soluble coffee. The terms are given under the following headings: a) basic terms of sensory analysis; b) generic terms in the sensory assessment of coffee; c) terms related to coffee-specific odours and tastes; d) terms commonly used in sensory assessment of coffee by practitioners.
Café — Analyse sensorielle — Vocabulaire
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
International
Standard
ISO 18794
Second edition
Coffee — Sensory analysis —
2025-11
Vocabulary
Café — Analyse sensorielle — Vocabulaire
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 Basic terms of sensory analysis .1
3.2 Generic terms in the sensory assessment of coffee .3
3.3 Terms related to coffee-specific odours and tastes.6
3.4 Terms commonly used in sensory assessment of coffee by practitioners.10
Bibliography .12
Index .13
iii
Foreword
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 34, Food products, Subcommittee SC 15, Coffee.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 18794:2018) which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— terminological entries for the terms “intensity”, “over-extracted”, “stewed”, “past crop”, “old crop”,
“concentrated”, “thick” and “dense” have been added.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
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iv
International Standard ISO 18794:2025(en)
Coffee — Sensory analysis — Vocabulary
1 Scope
This document defines terms related to coffee sensory analysis.
This document includes definitions applicable to green, roasted and ground coffee, coffee extracts and
soluble coffee.
The terms are given under the following headings:
a) basic terms of sensory analysis;
b) generic terms in the sensory assessment of coffee;
c) terms related to coffee-specific odours and tastes;
d) terms commonly used in sensory assessment of coffee by practitioners.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
NOTE 1 For additional information on sensory analysis, see ISO 5492:2008.
NOTE 2 For additional terms and definitions on sensory analysis of coffee, see Reference [5].
3.1 Basic terms of sensory analysis
3.1.1
acidity, noun
acid taste, noun
basic taste (3.1.3) produced by dilute aqueous solutions of most acid substances (e.g. citric acid and tartaric acid)
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.3]
3.1.2
aroma, noun
sensory attribute perceptible by the olfactory organ via the back of the nose when tasting, with a pleasant or
unpleasant connotation
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.25, modified — “with a pleasant or unpleasant connotation” added. Note 1 to
entry deleted.]
3.1.3
basic taste, noun
any one of the distinctive tastes (3.1.11): acid/sour (3.3.31), bitter, salty, sweet, umami
Note 1 to entry: These tastes are affected by the terroir, the botanical species of coffee, harvesting, processing, the
degree of roasting and other brewing/extraction procedures.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.2, modified — Note 1 to entry replaced.]
3.1.4
bitterness, noun
bitter taste, noun
complex basic taste (3.1.3) produced by dilute aqueous solutions of various substances such as quinine or
caffeine
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.5, modified — “complex” added.]
3.1.5
flavour, noun
complex combination of the olfactory, gustatory and trigeminal sensations (3.1.14) perceived during tasting
Note 1 to entry: Flavour may be influenced by tactile, thermal, painful and/or kinaesthesic effects.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.20]
3.1.6
mouthfeel, noun
mixed experience derived from sensations in the mouth that relate to physical or chemical properties of a
stimulus
Note 1 to entry: Assessors differentiate the physical sensations (e.g. density, viscosity, particulate) as texture (3.1.12)
properties and the chemical sensations (e.g. astringency (3.2.2), cooling) as flavour (3.1.5) properties.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.62]
3.1.7
note
distinctive and identifiable feature of an odour (3.1.8) or flavour (3.1.5)
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.28]
3.1.8
odour, noun
olfactory, adj
sensation perceived by means of the olfactory organ in sniffing certain volatile substances
Note 1 to entry: The olfactory organ may be stimulated by the volatiles of roast coffee or coffee brew, with the inhaled
air stream through the nose or from the mouth cavity via the retronasal route.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.18, modified — Admitted term “olfactory” and Note 1 to entry added.]
3.1.9
saltiness, noun
salty taste, noun
basic taste (3.1.3) produced by dilute aqueous solutions of various substances such as sodium chloride
Note 1 to entry: This taste can mean high mineral concentration in the water used for brewing/extraction of coffee.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.6, modified — Note 1 to entry added.]
3.1.10
sweetness, noun
sweet taste, noun
basic taste (3.1.3) produced by dilute aqueous solutions of natural or artificial substances such as sucrose or
aspartame
Note 1 to entry: Commonly associated with sweet aroma (3.1.2) descriptors such as fruity, chocolate and caramel. It is
dependent on the ripeness of the coffee cherry. This can also be affected by the processing method.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.7, modified — Note 1 to entry added.]
3.1.11
taste, noun
sensations perceived by the taste organ when stimulated by certain soluble substances
Note 1 to entry: The term “taste” should not be used to designate the combination of gustatory, olfactory and trigeminal
sensations (3.1.14) which are designated by the term flavour (3.1.5).
Note 2 to entry: Taste organs are the epithelial cells in the mouth cavity, stimulated by the coffee brew.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 2.12, modified — Second sentence deleted from Note 1 to entry. Note 2 to entry added.]
3.1.12
texture, noun
mechanical, geometrical, surface and body (3.2.4) attributes of a product perceptible by means of
kinaesthesis and somesthesis receptors and (where appropriate) visual and auditory receptors from the
first bite to final swallowing
Note 1 to entry: Beverage preparations with foaming influence the texture of the coffee brew, as well as the
filtration method
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.41, modified — Notes 1 and 2 to entry deleted. New Note 1 to entry added.]
3.1.13
smell, verb
perceive or to attempt to perceive an odour (3.1.8)
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 2.15]
3.1.14
trigeminal sensation, noun
oro-nasal chemesthesis, noun
sensation resulting from irritation caused by chemical (3.3.8) stimuli in the mouth, nose or throat
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 2.19]
3.1.15
intensity, noun
magnitude of the perceived sensation
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 2.8]
3.2 Generic terms in the sensory assessment of coffee
3.2.1
after-taste, noun
residual taste, noun
olfactory and/or gustatory sensation that occurs after the elimination of the product, and differs from the
sensations perceived while the product was in the mouth
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.65]
3.2.2
astringency, noun
astringent, adj
complex sensation, accompanied by shrinking, drawing or puckering of the skin or mucosal surface in the mouth
Note 1 to entry: Produced by substances such as kaki tannins, sloe tannins, cranberry, Spanish lime, green plantain
peel or unripe green skin.
Note 2 to entry: Astringency is a mouthfeel (3.1.6) suggested to be directly transmitted to the brain through trigeminal
nerve endings in the mouth.
Note 3 to entry: It can be caused by presence of immature or not fully ripe beans or it can be a transitory condition in
fresh coffee recently harvested or processed.
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.10, modified — The end of the definition moved to Note 1 to entry and extended.
Notes 2 and 3 to entry added.]
3.2.3
balanced, adj
coffee with an adequate proportion of each characteristic under evaluation and with none of them excessively
dominant
3.2.4
body, noun
consistency, compactness of texture (3.1.12), fullness, richness, flavour (3.1.5) or substance of a product
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.27]
3.2.5
creamy, adj
mild, unctuous and persistent sensation in the buccal cavity
Note 1 to entry: Caused, basically, by suspended lipids in the coffee brew.
[SOURCE: NTC 2758:2021, 3.25]
3.2.6
dry aroma coffee, noun
fragrance, noun
odour (3.1.8) of roasted and ground coffee before adding hot water
Note 1 to entry: This term is often used in coffee cupping.
3.2.7
flat, adj
product perceived to be below the expected organoleptic level
Note 1 to entry: Not to be confused with insipid (3.2.10).
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.71, modified — Note 1 to entry added.]
3.2.8
hard, adj
perception characterized by high levels of bitterness (3.1.4) and astringency (3.2.2)
3.2.9
heavy, adj
sensation of lingering mouth after-feel caused by high contents of soluble solids or fine suspended particles
in a coffee brew
Note 1 to entry: Not to be confused with body (3.2.4).
3.2.10
insipid, adj
product with a much lower level of flavour (3.1.5) than expected
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.68]
3.2.11
neutral, adj
product without any distinct characteristic
[SOURCE: ISO 5492:2008, 3.70]
3.2.12
smooth, adj
gentle and pleasant sensation which does not produce harshness in the buccal cavity
Note 1 to entry: Indicating certain levels of fatty suspended substances and allowing for easy beverage ingestion due
to moderate amounts of lipid in the coffee brew.
Note 2 to entry: This term is different to mild coffee that corresponds to washed arabica coffee (see ISO 3509:2005,
2.7), produced in some regions of the world (i.e. South America, Central America and Africa)
[SOURCE: NTC 2758:2021, 3.2.12]
3.2.13
strong, adj
flavour (3.1.5) indicative of balanced (3.2.3) coffee with high body (3.2.4) and intense taste (3.1.11) remaining
in the mouth
Note 1 to entry: This taste is the result of the roasting process and the way to prepare coffee beverages such as
espresso.
3.2.14
thin, adj
coffee brew of poor body (3.2.4) features
Note 1 to entry: Due to few soluble solids, it is essentially derived from a light roasting or inadequate preparation.
3.2.15
wet aroma coffee, noun
cup aroma, noun
odour (3.1.8) of roasted and ground coffee perceived
...
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