The cup you drank this morning had a lineage. It came from a specific plant, with a genetic history, grown at an elevation, selected by the farmer for particular reasons. And almost none of that appears on the label.

The varietal of a given coffee is an entrance into the story of that lineage. 

If you’ve ever taken a sip of coffee and wondered how some people can pick out tasting notes like peach, jasmine, and caramelized sugar, you’re not alone. Tasting coffee is a skill — one that develops over time.