SENSORY | COFFEE TASTER’S FLAVOR WHEEL
OTHER
Other is a core category in the inner ring of the Specialty Coffee Association Flavor Wheel. It represents off-flavors and defects in coffee.
Unlike positive categories, this group is used to identify taints and quality issues—often linked to problems in processing, storage, or roasting.
In tasting, start from Other and move outward to refine into Papery / Musty or Chemical—two common expressions of defect.
Subtle distinction matters:
Papery / Musty suggests aging or poor storage, while Chemical points to contamination or processing faults.
Recognizing these notes is essential for objective quality evaluation.
This is a simplified interpretation based on materials from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and World Coffee Research (WCR).
PAPERY / MUSTY
Papery / Musty focuses on damp, stale, moldy, or papery notes, often caused by poor storage, old or moldy beans, or substandard warehousing conditions. Detailed sensory notes include:
Stale: A sense of lost freshness; dull, flat, and “old.”
Cardboard: Dry, fibrous smell reminiscent of cardboard; suggests staleness and lack of vibrancy.
Papery: Thin, dry, bland notes like old paper filters.
Woody: Old, dry, slightly porous wood aroma lacking freshness.
Moldy / Damp: Wet, moldy scents (green or white mold), typically from humid storage conditions.
Musty / Dusty: Closed-in, damp odors like an old cupboard, sometimes with fine dust.
Musty / Earthy: Damp soil or moldy earth notes suggesting poor hygiene or excess humidity.
Animalic: Pungent, leathery, or pet-like odors, sometimes due to poor storage or uncontrolled fermentation.
Meaty Brothy: Savory, salty, stock-like aromas that are out of place in coffee.
Phenolic: Harsh, spicy, resinous chemical scent reminiscent of phenol or hospital disinfectant, often linked to uncontrolled fermentation.
CHEMICAL
Chemical describes clearly chemical-like taints generally seen as severe defects in coffee, stemming from processing errors, contamination, or excessive roasting. Detailed sensory notes include:
Bitter: Harsh, unpleasantly sharp bitterness lacking balance.
Salty: Unusual, unnatural saltiness in coffee.
Medicinal: Notes like cough syrup or antiseptic.
Petroleum: Fuel-like, pungent, acrid aromas.
Skunky: Offensive, light sulfurous volatility reminiscent of skunk spray.
Rubber: Burnt rubber smell, suggesting over-roasting or processing defects.
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