Glossary
Acidity
Acidity is a basic taste, detected by the taste buds on the tongue. Like lemon juice, it creates a vivid sensation on the sides of the tongue. Acidity gives the coffee a 'lively' bite.
Agrume
A hint of citrus fruit, usually lemon or bergamot orange.
Barista
In Italian bars, this is the name given to a person skilled in making espressos who is also in charge of all coffee-based recipes: cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, etc.
Bitterness
Often perceived at the back of the tongue. Chicory or dark chocolate and cocoa deliver quite characteristic bitter tastes. Bitterness is vital - it allows the taste of coffee to linger in the mouth.
Blend
A mixture of several premium coffees based on their sensory profiles to obtain precise and harmonious flavor characteristics.
Body
'Body' refers to its fullness, viscosity and density of a coffee. A full-bodied coffee feels thick in the mouth and very apparent. In contrast, a coffee lacking body is watery and fluid.
Buttery note
This note resembles that of dairy products or the sweet aroma of vanilla and caramel found in biscuits, cakes or aromas that arise when baking certain pastries.
Capsule
Once ground, Nespresso coffees are packaged in aluminium capsules. Completely airtight and non-toxic, the aluminium locks in the freshness of the coffee's 900 aromas and flavors for 12 months.
Cereal note
This note evokes the smell of cereal products: bread, toast and breakfast cereals. Sometimes it also evokes dried fruits such as walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds.
Cherry
Name given to the fruit of the coffee tree. Green in color, then red when ripe. The cherries can grow at different rates of maturity on the same branch.
Cocoa note
This note is reminiscent of dark chocolate or cocoa. It is sometimes accompanied by subtle hints of liquorice.
Coffee tree
Coffee is a member of the Rubiaceae family. Only two species of the coffee genus are grown commercially; Arabica (Coffea Arabica) and Robusta (Coffea Canephora).
Control
At Nespresso, we are committed to producing the highest quality coffee. Numerous quality control tests are carried out at more than six key stages, from the selection of the green coffee in the producing country to the release of the Nespresso capsules from the factory/production site. At each stage of the entire production process of roasting, grinding and then sealing into capsules, the coffee undergoes both sensory, physical and chemical quality control tests. Nothing is left to chance.
Crema
The Nespresso machine's high pressure extraction system, combined with the freshness and quality of the coffee, naturally produce a thick, smooth crema. Once prepared, the espresso continues to develop. Floral flavors tend to come out first, whereas others, including the heavier, more roasted aromas, are slower to emerge. The crema is essential for releasing and protecting these aromas. Immediately after its extraction, the crema, which naturally forms from liquid coffee and air, stimulates the release of aromas from the cup. Once it has settled, the crema's role reverses as it forms a coffee "cover" and prevents the most volatile aromas from escaping. The quality of the crema provides an important first impression of your espresso, and naturally influences the way you perceive it, by whetting your appetite before tasting.
Decaffeination
Natural or chemical process that involves extracting the caffeine from the green coffee prior to roasting. Nespresso uses a 100% natural method.
Dry method
This method consists of drying the pulp and the skin of the cherry to get a dry bean easy to deparch or hull. The green coffee produced is called 'natural' or 'unwashed'.
Espresso
Espresso technology was created in Italy in 1903 when Luigi Bezzera, wishing to extract coffee more quickly, invented the principle of "high-pressure percolation". The name "espresso" therefore comes from the Italian word "esprimere", that means to express. Preparing a genuine espresso consists of forcing water at high pressure through finely ground coffee to extract its true essence very quickly. Espresso is therefore not just a coffee name or a cup size. It is recognisable primarily by the density of its body, the richness of its aromas, a lingering presence on the palate and the thickness of the "crema", generated by the high-pressure extraction.
Flavor
The overall sensation in the mouth of drinking a particular coffee.
Fruity - Winey note
This note echoes the taste of red fruit (blackcurrants, grapes, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries). Sometimes it is reminiscent of other fruity notes such as apricots, plums, apples, pears, or peaches.
Green coffee
This term designates the coffee beans after processing and prior to roasting. It is in this form that the coffee is shipped to coffee merchants like Nespresso.
Grinding
Operation that consists of reducing the freshly roasted coffee bean to a powder. The grind is a factor that affects the flow time of the coffee and its aromatic profile.
Intensity
The intensity of a coffee is determined by the degree of roasting, its body, and its bitterness; it bears no relation to the percentage of caffeine in the espresso.
Monsooned coffee
In India, when the green coffee is exposed to monsoon weather, the beans swell and absorb moisture giving the coffee much sought-after aromas.
Picking
The harvesting of the coffee cherries, which is done entirely by hand to guarantee only the ripe cherries are picked.
Roasted note
This note develops with roasting. It describes the smell of the roasted bean that is released when you prepare a coffee.
Roasting
Operation that consists of 'toasting' the green coffee beans and enables the coffee flavors and 900 aromas to develop. Roasting is carried out prior to grinding.
Sense of smell
Even before bringing an espresso to your lips you can smell the aromas released from the cup. The lightest, most delicate and aromatic notes tend to be released first, floral for Vivalto, lemony for Cosi, red fruits for Decaffeinato. Stir your coffee with a spoon and heavier, more roasted notes will emerge, cereal notes for Capriccio, woody notes for Roma and cocoa notes for Arpeggio.
Single origin coffee
Coffee that originates from only one plantation and has not been blended. This is always the case with the Limited Edition coffees that Nespresso offers every year.
Stripping
Method of gathering the coffee cherries by stripping everything from the branch (cherry, stalks, and leaves), sorting will be done later.
Washed coffee
This refers to the green coffee after it has been processed by the wet method.
Wet method
With the wet method of processing coffee, the cherries are first washed and separated. Then only the ripe fruits have their pulp and mucilage removed before being washed and dried. The green coffee produced is called 'washed'.
Woody note
This note will remind you of the scent of dry wood or wooden pencils but also products aged in oak casks. It is sometimes associated with the smell of coniferous bushes or aromatic woods like sandalwood.
