Characterization of sensory properties of Yunnan coffee

Yunnan Province is the major coffee cultivation region in China, and coffee beans produced in Yunnan account for approximately 99% of the total national coffee production. So far, the sensory properties of Yunnan coffee have not been subjected to descriptive analysis. Here, we selected 25 representative coffee bean samples that are produced in different cultivation areas of Yunnan and with different degrees of roasting. A total of 57 sensory descriptors have been associated with the samples, and a sensory wheel that summarizes the sensory characteristics was developed. In addition, to identify the major attributes associated with Yunnan coffee, principal component analysis was performed, and we also explored how the bean origin and degree of roasting are related to the overall sensory features of Yunnan coffee. Our results show that the growing area is an affecting factor on the aspects of “spices”, “roasted”, “sweet” and “chemical/stale”, whereas “mouthfeel” and “roasted”, and “sour/acid” levels can be influenced by the degree of roasting. The present sensory characterization may provide valuable information for future improvements of Yunnan's coffee agriculture.