Discover the unique flavours of coffee from around the world
Did you know that around 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year! This figure is staggering and it’s no wonder that coffee is the world’s most widely traded agricultural commodity. Today, coffee is something to be appreciated, savoured, experimented with and loved.
However, not all coffee tastes the same. Gone are the days where you walk into a good cafe and ask for a plain old coffee. With the third wave of coffee has come cafes where you can order based on your own personal taste preferences, coffee origins and flavour profiles.
If you’re feeling like you don’t know enough about these different origins or tastes of coffee, read on!
Depending on their country of origin, each coffee has its own unique flavour notes and aromatic profiles. Coffee taste characteristics are also influenced by coffee varieties – most broadly Arabica and Robusta.
Coffee characteristics are also affected by temperature, type of soil, humidity, altitude, processing technique, how the farmers care for the bean and ultimately, even how it is roasted. There are so many taste profiles of coffee – from sweet to bitter, nutty to fruity, toasted to floral – every coffee lover eventually finds the one they love the most through constant tasting and drinking of this delicious dark liquid.
For us the joy of coffee is about the exploration. Discovering which coffee growing regions have the flavours we most enjoy. Generally, different coffee origins will produce distinct taste notes. Let us introduce you to some of the most popular coffee growing regions as well as the distinct characteristics and flavours you can enjoy from these areas. Join us on a quick adventure to explore coffee from around the three major growing regions around the world!
LATIN AMERICA
Latin American coffees generally give you good body, acidity, and a hint of fruitiness. Enjoy flavour notes that are chocolatey, nutty and with a slight citrus overtone.
Within Latin America, several growing regions have come to the front.
- BRAZIL – As one of the world’s top coffee producers, Brazil is known for growing nutty and sweet coffees with a full body that is perfect for espressos. Some beans from this region may also have flavour notes of spice or even citrus.
- COLOMBIA – Famous for its medium body and well-balanced flavour, Colombian coffees are a popular choice. Its flavour is characterised by caramel sweetness and a subtle nuttiness. It has moderate acidity that balances well with its inherent sweetness.
- GUATEMALA – Like its Latin American neighbour, Colombia, Guatemalan coffee is also rich and distinctly flavourful, thanks to its equally rich volcanic soil. However, it has a slightly higher degree of acidity and a hint of smokiness may be detected – a taste characteristic that coffee lovers find unique to the region.
AFRICA
Look out for higher acidity and bright flavour notes if you are buying African coffee! Generally, African coffees can taste fruity, floral and sweet.
True coffee lovers enjoy the light and fruity flavours of African coffees and from here, the two major growing regions are Ethiopia and Kenya.
- ETHIOPIA – Considered as the birthplace of coffee with thousands of coffee varietals that are still grown wild, Ethiopia offers a fruity, wine-like coffee. The coffee here is processed either wet or dry with dry-processed coffee having a taste profile reminiscent of blueberry or strawberry, with a smooth, heavy, syrupy mouthfeel. Meanwhile, wet-processed coffee tends to have delicate floral nuances that give it a lighter body.
- KENYA – Kenyan coffee is distinct for bold, vibrant, and juicy flavours, making it one of the most highly prized and priced coffees in the world. Kenyan AA is well known to be the largest coffee bean. Kenyan coffees can taste savoury to sweet, with a tartness that is reminiscent of tomatoes or black currants. Overall, coffees from the region are mellow and well-balanced, with distinctly pleasant nuances that are popular among coffee aficionados.
ASIA
Asian coffees are well-known for their bitter and earthy taste notes. Discover flavours of dark chocolate, earth and herbs.
Asia is an up and coming growing region for coffee. While Vietnam and Indonesia export huge amounts of coffee, the specialty coffee market is also on the rise with producers in Thailand, Malaysia and Java.
- INDONESIA – For those who are looking for a big, bold, dark, and full-bodied coffee experience, Sumatra is a perfect choice. It is also well-loved for its distinctly smoky, musty and earthy quality that is ideal for dark roasts. There are also coffees that have complex, dark-chocolate and herbal-tasting qualities that are unique to the regions they are grown in.
- MALAYSIA – Most coffee are made from Arabica and Robusta beans. (About 98% of the world’s coffee). However, 95% of Malaysia’s coffee beans come from the Liberica coffee plant, which typically produces flavours that are fruity, nutty and a clean aftertaste. Malaysian coffee are also known to be very strong tasting.
At Perk, we hope to bring you on a flavour journey to explore the world of coffee. We would love you to taste each and every region that we have carefully selected and hopefully knowing more about the different growing regions and their flavour profiles will help you narrow down what you enjoy drinking the most.
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