What is bouquet in coffee cupping?

Bouquet is a term used to describe the complete aromatic experience of a coffee - encompassing fragrance (the smell of dry grounds), aroma (the smell of brewed coffee), and aftertaste (the lingering scent after swallowing). It treats the full aromatic impression as a single, integrated attribute rather than separate components.

The term is borrowed from wine vocabulary, where bouquet refers to the complex aromatic character developed through fermentation and ageing - distinct from simpler varietal aromas. In coffee, bouquet is used less commonly than in wine but still appears in traditional cupping vocabulary, particularly in older industry literature.

In modern SCA cupping protocol, the aromatic attributes are evaluated and scored separately: dry fragrance and wet aroma each have their own assessment. Bouquet as an integrated term has become less common in professional cupping, where precision of individual attributes is preferred. However, it remains a useful shorthand when describing a coffee's overall aromatic impression in consumer-facing contexts - a coffee with a great bouquet smells complex and inviting from grounds to cup to finish.