Coffee is one of the most complex beverages in the world, and coffee flavor and aroma are two of the most important elements that make coffee what it is.

So what exactly is the difference between coffee flavor and coffee aroma?

Flavor refers to the taste of coffee—the combination of sweet, sour, bitter, salty, umami, and fatty acids in the beverage. These tastes work together to give you a single experience.

Aroma refers to the smells that come from your cup of coffee—the scents that waft up to your face when you hold a cup under your nose. Coffee has an incredible array of aromas thanks to a variety of compounds in its composition. Some common aromas include chocolatey, woody, nutty, citrusy, floral, spicy, vanilla, caramel-like, and fruity notes.

The two elements work together to give you a complete experience of drinking coffee: you get both the tastes on your tongue as well as the smells that come up your nose as you sip.