Aroma refers to sensations perceived by the olfactory bulb and conveyed to the brain; whether through the nose or “retro-nasally”: The aromatics of a coffee greatly influence its flavor profileFlavor Profile implies a graphical impression of a particular coffee, whether it be an artistic portrait or data graph of the perception of flavor compounds. In the case... ...more and come from the perception of the gases released by brewed coffeeBrewed Coffee refers to all coffee preparations produced by adding non-pressurized water to coffee grounds. Contrasted with espresso coffee, which is produced under pressure, brewed coffee is primarily... ...more. Aroma is greatest in the middle roasts and is quickly overtaken by carbonyA roast-related flavor term, referring to burnt flavors from dark roast levels. For some this is a pleasant flavor if residual sweetness is present, but plain carbon flavor... ...more smells in darker roasts.
Aroma is distinct from the dry fragranceIn the cupping procedure for tasting and scoring coffee, this is the smell of the dry, ground coffee before hot water is added. The term fragrance is used... ...more of the coffee grounds; in general “fragrance” describes things we do not eat (like perfume) and “aroma” pertains to food and beverage we consume. In cuppingCupping is a method of tasting coffee by steeping grounds in separate cups for discrete amounts of ground coffee, to reveal good flavors and defects to their fullest.... ...more, wet aromaIn cupping, wet aroma refers to the smell of wet coffee grinds, after hot water is added. It can involve smelling the "crust" (floating coffee grounds) on the... ...more refers to the smell of wet coffee grinds, after hot water is added. Aromatics as a term may encompass the entire aroma experience of a coffee.
Aromatics are a huge part of flavor perception (remember the “hold your nose and eat an onion” experiment). Aromatics reach the olfactory bulb through the nose and “retro-nasally” through the opening in the back of our palate. While some taste is sapidPleasant tastes, referring to tactile sensation derived from the basic flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, savory (umami). In a broader sense, sapid means "pleasing to the mind", referring... ...more, perceived through the tongue and palate via papillae, or taste buds, most of flavor quality is perceived through the olfactory bulb.
