There’s a huge range of aromas behind every good espresso, which the quick act of “sipping and running” won’t let you fully grasp. Clearly not everyone has the time or inclination to perform a sensory analysis every time they order an espresso. But it’s also true that espresso can be savored, and to do so there are precise tasting rules, just like with wine, beer and oil. Every sense except hearing, is involved. In fact, it’s not the coffee blend that guarantees a perfect espresso, which can be chosen according to personal taste, but some precise criteria.
How to tell if an espresso is good: sight
In tasting coffee, the eye also wants to be pleased. The first thing to do in order to understand if what you’re drinking is good or not is to look at it. The color and consistency of the cream vary depending on the blend used: darker if made with robusta, and with shades of brown if it’s arabica. In general, though, the cream should be soft, dense, and thick enough so you can’t see the dark liquid beneath. But above all it must be persistent (that is, it should not disappear immediately).
Smell
At this point you can stir the espresso, gently moving the cream and letting it give off its aromas. The archive of smells stored in the memory of each person is stimulated here. Bringing your nose to the cup and inhaling deeply will let you smell the aromatic notes ranging from toasted to caramel, from tobacco to chocolate, from woody to citrusy.
Touch is also important when tasting
It takes some skill to evaluate a liquid through touch. But with all the espressos you drink in a day, if you pay a little bit of attention, this skill can be acquired. The first criterion to consider is simple enough: temperature. The optimal temperature for an espresso is around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. The second quality, however, is more difficult to sense: body, which is an indication of the balance between oils and sugars. When there is a good balance, the espresso is said to be round. Once you’ve swallowed a sip, you can also sense astringency, or the feeling of roughness and friction between the tongue and palate, which should not be excessive.
Last but not least: taste and aftertaste
To fully enjoy the best espresso you should not be in a rush. Enjoy the moment and sip it slowly. The liquid should be evenly distributed in your mouth to make sure that it reaches the various areas of the tongue for perceiving different tastes: sweet on the tip, sour on the sides, salty on the sides towards the center and bitter at the back. Keep in mind that espresso always has a predominantly bitter note, whereas it has no salt at all. Once it’s swallowed, though, the aftertaste remains, which is another key criterion for evaluating an espresso, since it’s what accompanies you for the next two hours. By sucking air into the mouth you can sense new flavors such as chocolate, vanilla and caramel.