A speciality coffee flavour note across London.
Green olive in speciality coffee presents as a savoury, slightly briny quality with a faint bitterness and an oily, rounded mouthfeel, sitting somewhere between a ripe fruit note and a herbaceous earthiness. It is distinct from sweetness and can read as pleasantly complex or unexpectedly savoury depending on the drinker's palate. This character typically arises from certain chlorogenic acid compounds and lipid profiles in the bean, and is most often associated with lighter roast levels where those compounds are preserved rather than broken down by heat.
This note is typically associated with coffees from Ethiopia, particularly naturals and some washed lots from the older heirloom varieties grown in regions such as Yirgacheffe and Sidama, where the genetic diversity of the plant contributes unusual savoury compounds. Coffees from Yemen also often carry this quality, likely due to the ancient varieties cultivated there and the traditional dry processing methods used. Processing style plays a meaningful role, as natural and dry-processed coffees tend to develop more of these savoury, olive-adjacent characteristics than their washed counterparts.
On a bag or menu, look for tasting notes that include olive, savoury, herbaceous, or brine alongside fruit descriptors, which often signals this kind of complex, non-sweet profile. Words such as "heirloom variety", "natural process", or origin references to Ethiopia or Yemen are reasonable indicators that this note may be present. Brew methods that emphasise body and mouthfeel, such as a French press or a slow Chemex pour, tend to allow this savoury quality to come through more clearly than faster, brighter methods.
Take our 60-second flavour quiz and discover roasts across London that are aligned with your palate — including ones carrying olive (green) notes.