A speciality coffee flavour note across London.
Sandalwood in the cup presents as a dry, smooth, resinous warmth with a faintly creamy or waxy undertone, sitting somewhere between a woody spice and a soft incense-like depth. It is not sharp or astringent; rather, it adds a quiet, lingering finish that rounds out a coffee's body. This character is typically associated with specific aromatic compounds, including guaiacol derivatives, that develop during medium to medium-dark roasting of beans with naturally low acidity and dense cellular structure.
Coffees from Indonesia, particularly Sulawesi and Sumatra, often carry sandalwood notes, owing in part to the wet-hulled processing method common to those regions, which encourages earthy, woody aromatic development. Certain washed and natural coffees from Yemen and some parts of Ethiopia can also express this quality, typically where heirloom varieties grow at high altitude under conditions that concentrate resinous compounds in the bean. The note tends to be more pronounced when beans are processed with extended drying times or have undergone a degree of fermentation during post-harvest handling.
On a bag or cafe menu, look for tasting notes that pair sandalwood with cedar, incense, dark chocolate, tobacco, or dried fruit, as these often appear together in coffees with the same aromatic profile. Words such as "earthy", "woody", or "resinous" in a flavour description suggest a similar sensory direction. Brew methods that emphasise body and minimise brightness, such as French press, Moka pot, or a slow cold brew, tend to draw out sandalwood character most clearly, while pour-over can highlight it cleanly when the grind and water temperature are kept moderate.
Take our 60-second flavour quiz and discover roasts across London that are aligned with your palate — including ones carrying sandalwood notes.