Understanding Speciality Coffee - Deciphering The Lingo

Speciality coffee can sound a little confusing at first. You might see words like single origin, washed process, cupping score, body, acidity or flavour notes and wonder what they actually mean when choosing coffee for your morning brew.

The good news is that speciality coffee does not need to be complicated. At its simplest, it means coffee that has been grown, selected, roasted and brewed with more care, so you can taste more of the natural character of the beans.

In this guide, we explain the most common speciality coffee terms in plain English, so you can choose your next bag with more confidence.

Speciality coffee is coffee that stands out for its quality, flavour, traceability and care throughout the supply chain. It usually comes from carefully selected lots of coffee grown in suitable climates, harvested with attention, processed well and roasted to bring out its best qualities.

You may also see it written as “specialty coffee”, especially by American organisations such as the Specialty Coffee Association. In the UK, “speciality coffee” is the more common spelling.

In practical terms, speciality coffee is not just about being expensive or unusual. It is about better quality beans, fewer defects, clearer flavour, and more information about where the coffee has come from.

Commercial coffee is often produced and blended for consistency, price and volume. It may taste strong, bitter or flat, especially when roasted very dark to cover inconsistencies in the beans.

Speciality coffee is different. It focuses more on the natural flavour of the coffee itself. Depending on the origin and roast, you may taste notes of chocolate, nuts, berries, citrus, caramel, stone fruit, spices or florals.

This does not mean speciality coffee has to be light, sharp or unusual. There are plenty of smooth, rich, chocolatey speciality coffees that work beautifully as everyday coffee. The difference is that the flavour comes from the quality of the coffee, not from added flavouring.

A single origin coffee comes from one country, region, farm, estate, co-operative or washing station. This makes it easier to understand the character of the coffee and how its growing conditions affect the flavour.

For example, a coffee from Colombia may taste smooth, sweet and balanced, while an Ethiopian coffee may be more floral or fruity. A Brazil coffee may have a naturally nutty, chocolatey profile, while a Kenyan coffee may have brighter acidity and berry-like notes.

Single origin coffee is a great choice if you enjoy exploring different flavours and want to understand where your coffee comes from.

A blend is made by combining two or more coffees. Blends are often designed to create a balanced and reliable flavour profile.

For example, an espresso blend may combine coffees with sweetness, body and crema to create a smooth cup that works well with milk. A filter blend may be created to taste balanced, clean and easy-drinking.

Blends are not lower quality by default. A well-made blend can be excellent. The key difference is that a single origin highlights one coffee’s individual character, while a blend is created to achieve a specific taste.

Arabica is one of the main species of coffee. It is generally associated with more sweetness, aroma and flavour complexity than robusta.

Many speciality coffees are 100% Arabica, although not all Arabica coffee is automatically speciality grade. The quality still depends on how it is grown, picked, processed, stored and roasted.

Robusta is sometimes used in traditional espresso blends because it can add body, bitterness and crema. However, for customers looking for smoother, more nuanced coffee, Arabica is often the preferred choice.

A varietal is a type or variety of coffee plant. You may see names such as Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, Catuai, SL28, Pacamara or Gesha on speciality coffee descriptions.

Different varietals can affect the flavour, yield, sweetness, acidity and structure of the coffee. You do not need to remember every varietal, but they can be useful if you enjoy comparing coffees.

For example, Bourbon is often associated with sweetness and balance, while Gesha is known for its floral and delicate qualities. Caturra and Catuai are common in Central and South America and can produce clean, approachable coffees.

Altitude refers to how high above sea level the coffee is grown. You may see this written as metres above sea level, such as 1,200m or 1,800m.

Higher altitude often means slower-growing coffee cherries. This can lead to denser beans and more developed flavours. Coffees grown at higher altitudes may have brighter acidity, more sweetness and more complexity.

That said, altitude is only one part of the story. Climate, soil, varietal, farming methods, processing and roasting all make a difference too.

Processing is the way the coffee seed is removed from the fruit after harvesting. This has a big effect on flavour.

Washed Coffee

A washed coffee has the fruit removed before the beans are dried. This often creates a cleaner, brighter and more defined flavour.

Washed coffees are a good choice if you like clarity, balance and crisp flavours. They often work well for filter coffee, pour-over, AeroPress and cafetière.

Natural Coffee

A natural coffee is dried with the fruit still around the bean. This can create fruitier, sweeter and sometimes heavier flavours.

Natural coffees may taste like berries, tropical fruit, wine, jam or chocolate. They can be exciting and full-bodied, although some people find them more intense.

Honey Process Coffee

A honey process coffee sits somewhere between washed and natural. Some of the sticky fruit layer, called mucilage, is left on the bean during drying.

Honey processed coffees often have good sweetness, rounded body and gentle fruit notes. They can be a good choice if you want something a little different without going too bold.

Anaerobic and Experimental Processes

Some speciality coffees use newer or more experimental processing methods, such as anaerobic fermentation. These coffees can taste very distinctive, with intense fruit, wine-like, tropical or funky notes.

They can be fascinating, but they are not always the best starting point if you are new to speciality coffee. If you prefer smooth, classic coffee, start with washed, honey or balanced natural coffees first.

Roast level describes how long and how deeply the coffee has been roasted. At Redber, you will often see coffees described as medium, medium-dark or dark.

Light Roast

Light roasts are usually brighter, more delicate and more focused on the coffee’s origin character. They can bring out floral, citrus or fruit notes, but they may taste sharper if you are used to darker coffee.

Medium Roast

Medium roast coffee is often balanced, sweet and versatile. It can work well for filter coffee, cafetière, AeroPress and some espresso brewing.

This is a good starting point if you want to explore speciality coffee but still want something approachable.

Medium-Dark Roast

Medium-dark coffee has more body, lower perceived acidity and deeper flavours. You may taste chocolate, nuts, caramel, dried fruit or gentle spice.

This roast level is popular with customers who drink coffee with milk, use bean-to-cup machines, or prefer a richer cup.

Dark Roast

Dark roast coffee is fuller, bolder and more intense. It often has notes of dark chocolate, roasted nuts and caramelised sugar.

A good dark roast should still taste clean and pleasant, not burnt or harsh. Dark roasts are often chosen for espresso, moka pot, cafetière and milky coffees.

Flavour notes are descriptions of what the coffee naturally reminds the taster of. They are not added flavours.

If a coffee says “milk chocolate, red apple and toasted pecan”, it does not mean those ingredients have been added. It means the natural flavour of the coffee may remind you of those foods.

Flavour notes are subjective, so you may not taste exactly the same thing every time. They are best used as a guide. If you like chocolatey coffees, look for notes like cocoa, dark chocolate, hazelnut, almond, caramel or brown sugar. If you like fruitier coffees, look for citrus, berry, apple, stone fruit or tropical fruit notes.

Body describes how the coffee feels in your mouth. A coffee can feel light, silky, creamy, juicy, syrupy or full-bodied.

A full-bodied coffee feels heavier and richer. This is often popular for espresso, moka pot and cafetière.

A lighter-bodied coffee can feel cleaner and more delicate, which is often lovely for pour-over or filter brewing.

A clean cup means the coffee tastes clear, pleasant and free from unpleasant flavours. It does not mean the coffee is plain or boring.

In speciality coffee, cleanliness is important because it allows the natural flavour of the coffee to come through. A clean coffee should not taste mouldy, musty, dirty, rubbery or harsh.

A cupping score is a professional way of assessing coffee quality. Coffees are tasted using a standardised method called cupping, where factors such as aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance and overall impression are assessed.

In the speciality coffee world, coffees scoring 80 points or above on a 100-point scale have traditionally been considered speciality grade.

For everyday coffee drinkers, the score can be useful, but it should not be the only thing you look at. A higher-scoring coffee is not automatically the best coffee for your taste. A smooth medium-dark coffee with chocolate notes may suit you better than a very bright, high-scoring coffee with unusual fruit notes.

A Q Grader is a trained coffee professional who is qualified to assess coffee quality. They evaluate coffee through cupping, sensory analysis and green coffee grading.

You do not need to be a Q Grader to enjoy speciality coffee. But knowing that professionals use structured tasting methods can help explain why speciality coffee descriptions are often more detailed than standard supermarket coffee labels.

Direct trade usually means the roaster or importer has a closer relationship with the producer or farm. It is not a legally fixed term, so it can mean different things depending on the company.

At its best, direct trade can support better communication, quality and pricing. However, it is always worth looking for clear information rather than relying on the term alone.

Freshly roasted coffee means the beans have been roasted recently, rather than sitting in a warehouse or on a supermarket shelf for months.

Freshness matters because coffee gradually loses aroma and flavour after roasting. However, very freshly roasted coffee can also need a little time to rest, especially for espresso. This resting period allows gas from the roasting process to settle, helping the coffee brew more evenly.

For most home brewers, buying freshly roasted coffee and storing it properly makes a noticeable difference.

Grind size is how coarse or fine your coffee is ground. It has a big effect on taste.

If coffee is ground too fine, it can taste bitter, harsh or over-extracted. If it is ground too coarse, it can taste weak, thin or sour.

As a general guide, espresso needs a fine grind, moka pot needs a fine-to-medium grind, AeroPress can vary, filter coffee needs a medium grind, and cafetière needs a coarse grind.

If you do not have a grinder at home, choosing the right grind when ordering can make your coffee taste much better.

If you are new to speciality coffee, start with the flavours you already enjoy.

If you like smooth, classic coffee, choose a medium-dark coffee with chocolate, nutty or caramel notes. These are often a safe choice for bean-to-cup machines, cafetière, moka pot and milky drinks.

If you like black coffee and want something clean and balanced, try a washed coffee from Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica or Peru.

If you enjoy fruitier flavours, explore African coffees such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi or Uganda.

If you want to compare different origins, a coffee taster pack is a great way to learn what you like without committing to one large bag.

Speciality coffee can seem full of technical words, but most of them are simply there to help you understand what you are buying.

You do not need to know every processing method or varietal to enjoy better coffee. Start with the flavours you like, choose the right roast level for your brewing method, and use tasting notes as a helpful guide.

Whether you prefer smooth and chocolatey coffee, bright and fruity filter coffee, or a rich espresso that works beautifully with milk, speciality coffee gives you more choice, more transparency and a better chance of finding a coffee you genuinely enjoy.

Explore our range of freshly roasted speciality coffees and discover your next favourite cup.