What Is Single Origin Coffee?

You may have seen the words “single origin” written on a bag of coffee and wondered what they actually mean.

The simple answer is:

Single origin coffee comes from one known place.

That place could be one country, one region, one farm, one cooperative, or sometimes even one small section of a farm.

For example, instead of a coffee bag simply saying “coffee”, it might tell you:

Country: Colombia
Region: Huila
Farm: Finca El Paraíso

The more information you have, the easier it is to understand exactly where your coffee came from.

The term “single origin” is quite flexible, so it does not always mean the coffee came from just one farm. Sometimes a single origin coffee may contain beans from several farms within the same region. What matters is that the coffee comes from one clearly identified origin rather than being mixed with coffee from different origins.

Single Origin vs a Coffee Blend

The easiest way to understand single origin coffee is to compare it with a blend.

A coffee blend combines coffees from different places.

For example, a roaster might mix coffee from Brazil with coffee from Colombia and Ethiopia. They do this to create a particular flavour or to make the coffee taste similar throughout the year.

Single origin coffee takes a different approach.

Instead of mixing different origins together, the roaster allows the character of one particular place to stand out.

Think of it like fruit.

An apple grown in one part of Australia can taste slightly different from the same type of apple grown somewhere else. The weather, soil and growing conditions can all have an effect.

Coffee works in a similar way.

Why Does Where Coffee Grows Matter?

Coffee is a plant, so the environment around it can influence what eventually ends up in your cup.

Things such as:

• altitude

• temperature

• rainfall

• soil

• coffee variety

• farming methods

• how the coffee cherries are processed

can all affect the final coffee.

The Specialty Coffee Association explains that coffee can be valued for many different characteristics, including its flavour, aroma, origin, producer, growing practices and processing method.

This is one reason coffee professionals care so much about knowing where a coffee came from.

It gives the coffee a story, but it can also help explain why it tastes the way it does.

Does Single Origin Mean Better Coffee?

Not necessarily.

This is important.

Single origin describes where the coffee comes from. It does not automatically mean the coffee is better.

You can have an amazing coffee blend, and you can also have an average single origin coffee.

Good coffee still depends on things like the quality of the beans, harvesting, processing, storage and roasting.

The Specialty Coffee Association also looks at many different qualities when discussing specialty coffee, rather than simply looking at its country of origin.

So you should not think:

Single origin = good.
Blend = bad.

They are simply different ways of creating coffee.

Why Try Single Origin Coffee?

Single origin coffee can be a fun way to discover how different coffee can taste.

You might try one coffee and notice chocolate, caramel or nuts.

Another might remind you of berries, citrus fruit or flowers.

You don't need to be a coffee expert to enjoy this.

There is also no “correct” flavour you are supposed to like.

The best way to learn is simply to try different coffees and pay attention to what you enjoy.

Next time you see Single Origin on a coffee bag, have a look at where it came from.

You aren't just choosing coffee.

You're getting the chance to taste a little piece of one particular place in the world.