ISO 18794:2025

Overview

ISO 18794:2025 - Coffee - Sensory analysis - Vocabulary provides a standardized vocabulary for sensory analysis of coffee. It defines terms applicable to green, roasted and ground coffee, coffee extracts and soluble coffee. The standard groups terminology under: basic sensory analysis terms, generic coffee assessment terms, coffee-specific odours and tastes, and practitioner-focused descriptors. It was prepared by ISO/TC 34/SC 15 and updates the 2018 edition with additional entries such as intensity, over-extracted, stewed, past crop, old crop, concentrated, thick and dense.

Key Topics

• Scope and coverage
  • Definitions for green, roasted/ground, extracts and soluble coffee.
  • Organized vocabulary to support consistent sensory communication.
• Basic sensory terms
  • Examples: acidity, aroma, basic taste, flavour, mouthfeel, taste, texture, intensity.
• Generic coffee assessment
  • Examples: body, balance, astringency, after‑taste, flat, strong, thin, over‑extracted, stewed, under‑roasted.
• Coffee‑specific odours and tastes
  • Examples: burnt, caramel‑like, chocolate‑like, floral, fruity‑citrus, grassy, animal‑like, fuel‑like, earthy.
• Practitioner language
  • Terms commonly used in cupping and sensory panels (e.g., dry aroma, wet aroma, descriptors for roast defects or processing notes).
• Cross‑references
  • Notes link to broader sensory terminology (e.g., ISO 5492) and to coffee standards where applicable.

Applications

• Quality control: Standardized descriptors improve repeatability of sensory tests in roasteries and production labs.
• Cupping and grading: Enables objective communication among Q‑graders, cup tasters and buyers.
• Product development: Helps R&D teams describe desired sensory profiles and track changes during formulation or roast profiling.
• Training: Foundation for sensory panelist training, lexicon development and calibration exercises.
• Trade and procurement: Common language for contracts, specifications and dispute resolution across international markets.

Who uses this standard?

• Coffee roasters and producers
• Quality assurance laboratories and sensory panels
• Coffee buyers, traders and exporters/importers
• Coffee research and training institutions
• Sensory scientists and product developers

Related standards

• ISO 5492:2008 - general sensory analysis vocabulary (referenced for additional context)
• ISO 3509:2005 - regional coffee terminology referenced in notes

ISO 18794:2025 is essential for anyone needing a consistent, internationally recognized lexicon for coffee sensory analysis, cupping, quality assurance and product communication.