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. 2020 Jan 16;8(2):1173–1186. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1404

Table 1.

Basic sensory attributes to be considered during an analysis

Attribute Description
Fragrance Sensation that is produced by volatile components of coffee when they are perceived by the nose without the addition of water. Fragrance is the smell of ground coffee without water.
Aroma Corresponds to the olfactory perception produced by coffee's volatile compounds that are carried by water vapor (steam) at the time the beverage is prepared.
Acidity Sensation produced by the acidic substances that are synthetized in hot water and later detected by the tongue. In general terms, acidity is determined by the growing region of the plant and with a lesser extent by toasting procedures.
Bitterness Sensation produced by bitter substances present in coffee, which are extracted when hot water is added. They are especially perceived at the back the tongue.
Body Strength, character, and heaviness of the drink associated to the characteristics of the raw material and the product–water ratio.
Sweetness Basic gustatory sensation, mainly perceived at the tip of the tongue, which is associated with the presence of sweeteners.
Residual flavor Post‐tasting flavors that remain in the mouth after tasting the beverage. They can be pleasant or unpleasant, depending on the initial characteristics of the raw material, processing and storage conditions.
Global Impression Summarizes the panelists’ assessments regarding the overall impression of the tested sample.

Own elaboration from: (Puerta, 1997; ICONTEC, 2011; SCAA, 2016).