Using the senses When it comes
to coffee tasting the most important factors to evaluate are aroma, acidity, body and flavour. However,
personal preference also plays an important role. The way our senses perceive
a particular coffee is the sum total of the sensations recorded by most of our sense organs. The most
important in this case are the senses of taste and smell. Vision
Within
the first few seconds our eyes evaluate the quality of an espresso before we’ve even tasted it. Our
eyes help us make a rapid evaluation of the intensity of colour and the consistency and marbling of
the crema. 
Taste
The
four different basic tastes, sweet, salty, sour and bitter, are detected on the tongue. Each of these
sensations can be mapped to a particular area of the tongue. 
Smell
The
nose detects the volatile aroma com-pounds that emanate from the coffee cup. The
human nose can distinguish between as many as 10 000 different aromas. About 80 % of taste sensations
are actually perceived through the nose. 
Touch
The
»mouth feel« refers to the body and consistency of the coffee and its creaminess on the tongue.
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