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MILAN – Not only Arabica, but also Robusta matters, when it comes to quality and tasting. And since they are two distinct botanical varieties, the time has come for the Canephora too to have its own working tools: just like white wine and red wine (with all the differences and specifications of the case), Arabica and Robusta also have their own peculiar characteristics and must be analysed accordingly.. This is the need that led to the creation of a Flavour Wheel dedicated to Coffeea Canephora (or better known as Robusta).
Canephora and Arabica: not the same thing
Naturally, they each have their own genetic and cultivation characteristics and this fact then influences the chemistry in the roasting process and the sensory characteristics of the beverage produced from one bean versus the other.
After years in which research has focused on the study and development of Arabica, now it is finally the turn of the Canephora, which has become the subject of a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, carried out by a group of researchers led by Fabiana Carvalho, who involved about 49 certified Q graders from Brazil and Switzerland to evaluate samples over three cupping sessions.
The 67 samples used to develop the Flavour Wheel come from 13 different origins: Brazil, Congo, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatamala, Gana, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Uganda and Vietnam.
The aim: to be able to formulate a flavour wheel that specifically identifies the intrinsic characteristics of the Canephora, applying the Rate-All-That-Apply method or RATA (n.d.r. sensory evaluation technique that combines the ‘check-all-that-apply’ approach (CATA) with rating scales. A method that provides both qualitative (which attributes apply) and quantitative (the intensity) data, offering more detailed feedback than CATA alone).
At the end of the experiment, 103 different descriptors were identified, corresponding to the 99 found in the most recent Arabica wheel. They too were divided into subcategories, ranging from broader terms such as Sweet, Umami and Cocoa to more specific notes such as rapadura and cocoa butter.
