Ever looked at a coffee bag and felt like you needed a translator? Altitude, processing, SCA—it’s not just fancy jargon, it’s the key to finding your perfect cup. Understanding these details helps you choose the perfect coffee for your taste.

Here’s how to crack the code, so you know what to look for when picking your next bag of beans:

Origin

The origin tells you where the coffee was grown. This can be as broad as the country (e.g., Ethiopia, Colombia) or as specific as the farm or cooperative. The region’s soil content or ‘terroir’ affects how well a coffee can be grown. 

Single-origin coffees come from one farm or region, allowing their unique characteristics to shine. Single-origin coffees tend to have a more distinct flavour profile. Blends combine beans from different places to create a balanced, consistent flavour.

At Wogan Coffee, we take pride in sourcing traceable, ethically grown coffee. Take a read of our product descriptions to learn about the farms behind your beans; their story, their process, and what makes their coffee unique.

Flavour Notes

Flavour notes describe the coffee’s natural flavour characteristics. No artificial flavours are added, these are simply what professional Q-graders detect when they taste the coffee during a coffee cupping.

While there is a set list of flavours defined on the SCA flavour wheel, it is as much about individual sensory perception, as well as empirical data. Every coffee has its own unique flavour notes, ranging from classic praline and dark chocolate to unexpected notes like Solero ice cream or vine-ripened tomato. Most coffees fall into a few broad flavour categories:

→ Chocolate & Caramel

Smooth, sweet, and rich, this category includes coffees with deep chocolate, toffee, nutty, and caramel notes. These coffees tend to have a comforting, crowd-pleasing flavour, making them perfect for milk-based drinks. Coffee’s like our Brazilian Mio have this classic ‘coffee’ profile, with notes of praline, maple syrup, and raisin.

→ Fruity & Floral

Bright and complex, these coffees are packed with vibrant fruit and floral notes. You might taste berries, citrus, or tropical fruits, with some even resembling tea or wine. Kenyan coffees often shine in this category, like our Kenya AA which bursts with notes of cranberry, orange and rose hip.

→ Punchy & Dark

For those who love bold, full-bodied coffees, this category brings deep, intense flavours, think earthy, dark chocolate, treacle. These coffees often have a rich mouthfeel and a strong presence, perfect for espresso lovers. Our Legacy Blend  is a standout, with bold notes of dark chocolate, toffee and bon bons.

Whatever your preference, there’s a coffee out there with a flavour profile to match your taste. Take our coffee matching quiz to find your perfect cup.

SCA Score

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scores coffee on a 100-point scale. It’s a standardised method for evaluating coffee quality that’s accepted world-wide. Anything above 80 is considered specialty grade coffee.

Higher scores generally mean better complexity and balance, but preference matters more than points, choose what tastes best to you.

Plant Varietal

Coffee, like wine, has different varieties, each with unique characteristics. There are over 100 species of coffee, however there are only three that are commonly drank; coffea arabica, coffea liberica, and coffea canephora (also known as robusta). Underneath this, there are hundreds of varietals, with many more being classified all the time from wild heirloom varietals. 

Each variety has its own characteristics, for example some grow better in cooler conditions, some suit higher altitudes, some produce sweeter coffee cherries, some are more resistant to pests or disease… The list goes on! 

You’ll recognise these on our labels - a few examples being Bourbon, Caturra, or Gesha.

Processing Type

Processing refers to how the coffee bean is fermented before roasting, which significantly impacts flavour and texture. The main methods are:

• Washed – The fruit is removed before drying, producing a clean, crisp coffee with high clarity.

• Natural – The cherries dry with the beans inside, typically resulting in a sweeter, fruitier, funkier cup.

• Honey Processed – A middle ground where some fruit remains during drying, leading to a coffee that’s both sweet and vibrant.

If you like crowd-pleasing coffees, go for washed. If you prefer bold, jammy flavours, natural processing is your best bet.

There’s a lot of experimentation happening in the coffee world, with new processing methods emerging all the time. We’re always on the lookout for innovative techniques that push flavour boundaries, from mountain process to anaerobic fermentation. Keep an eye on our monthly specials, where we love showcasing coffees that challenge the norm.

Altitude

Altitude influences how coffee develops its flavour. The higher the coffee is grown, the slower the cherries mature, leading generally to more complex flavours. Here’s a general guide:

Low Altitude (Below 1,000m) – Full-bodied, earthy, and chocolatey.

Mid Altitude (1,000m - 1,500m) – Balanced, sweet, and softer fruit flavours.

High Altitude (1,500m+) – Bright, fruity, and floral.

Higher altitude coffees tend to have more acidity and complexity, while lower altitude coffees are smoother and richer. But that’s not the full picture, as the roast profile will also impact this. For example, a high altitude dark roast is not going to taste acidic.

Roast Date

This is arguably one of the most important things to check when you’re buying a bag of coffee. The roast date tells you how fresh the coffee is. Always check the roast date to ensure you're getting the freshest beans. 

At Wogan Coffee, we hand-roast to order and ship out with 1st class post across the UK, so you’re always getting top quality fresh coffee. 

Final Thoughts

Next time you pick up a bag of coffee, you’ll know exactly what to look for. Whether you want a bright Ethiopian natural or a smooth Colombian washed, understanding these details helps you find a coffee that matches your taste.

Ready to put your knowledge to the test? Browse our selection of speciality coffee and find your perfect brew.