What is uniformity in coffee cupping?

Uniformity is one of the ten scored attributes on the SCA cupping form and measures the consistency of flavour across the five cups prepared from the same lot during a cupping session. Each of the five cups contributes 2 points to the uniformity score (maximum 10) - a cup scores its full 2 points only if it tastes consistent with the others. If one cup shows a different flavour profile, defect, or off-note not present in the other four, it loses its points.

The purpose of cupping five cups rather than one is precisely to assess uniformity. A lot where four cups are excellent but one shows a ferment note or phenolic defect has a problem - it suggests inconsistency in the green coffee, possibly from mixed lots, uneven drying, or a batch that wasn't uniform in cherry ripeness or processing.

For green coffee buyers, uniformity is a meaningful quality signal. A high uniformity score confirms that the lot is consistent throughout - you can trust that the cupping result reflects what the whole bag, or container, is like. A low uniformity score despite good individual cups raises questions about sorting, blending, or processing inconsistency that may not be visible in the green appearance alone.