Does Bergamot Flavored Coffee Taste Good? What Does Bergamot Actually Taste Like?

What is this unusually shaped fruit good for? Cantonese people: It can be used for soup!

If you pay attention to coffee bean packaging information, you may have seen "bergamot" in flavor descriptions. It's not a fruit commonly found in everyday markets, and many people (including FrontStreet Coffee) have never encountered this variety. However, this term always appears in coffee flavor descriptions that emphasize fresh floral notes and bright fruit acidity, especially in washed processed coffees.

For example, FrontStreet Coffee has found "bergamot" mentioned in the flavor descriptions of coffee beans such as washed green label Geisha from Panama's La Esmeralda estate, washed Pacamara from Guatemala's Finca El Injerto estate, washed Yirgacheffe from Ethiopia, and washed Java from Bolivia's Rodriguez estate. So what exactly does this smell like?

In Chinese-speaking regions, what has historically been called "bergamot" refers to a citrus variety with fruit shaped like multiple fingers. When fully ripe, it turns bright yellow, appears mainly in southern Chinese provinces, is also known as Buddha's hand, and has various medicinal values.

According to encyclopedias, Buddha's hand is a variety of the species Citrus medica (citrus genus), with the scientific name Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis. It's generally translated into English as Fingered Citron, or appears under the more direct name: Buddha's Hand. However, neither of these English names for Buddha's hand has ever appeared in any version of coffee flavor theory or in professional tasting notes. So where does this "bergamot" in coffee contexts come from?

After some investigation, FrontStreet Coffee finally found the clue. The "bergamot" flavor that frequently appears in coffee professionals' discussions is actually translated from the word "Bergamot."

The True Identity of Bergamot

According to Wikipedia, this fruit is called bergamot in English, also known as Bergamot Orange. It has been mistakenly translated as "bergamot" in Chinese for a long time, because bergamot and the Buddha's hand mentioned above are actually two completely different varieties.

From a genetic perspective, bergamot may be a hybrid of a sour orange and a sweet lemon, making it closer to lemon. Its flesh is sour and astringent, but its peel is fragrant and can be used to extract bergamot oil, widely used in the perfume industry. Its cultivation and production originated from cologne invented by an Italian in the 1700s, which was patented at the time. The basic fragrance note of this perfume is the essential oil extracted from bergamot peel.

Friends who enjoy English black tea probably know Earl Grey tea, which is made by adding this bergamot essential oil to black tea. Therefore, when a coffee has "bergamot" in its flavor description, its tasting notes often include "Earl Grey" or "Earl Grey tea."

As for why bergamot was translated as "bergamot," it's likely related to how merchants needed to translate the keyword "Bergamot" in Earl Grey tea. Not knowing how to express it properly, they used the translation "bergamot," and everyone has continued using it ever since, when it actually refers to a round, pear-like bergamot.

Chemical Composition and Flavor Characteristics

In addition to limonene and citral, bergamot also contains large amounts of linalyl acetate and linalool. These aromatic molecules give it not only a fresh citrus scent but also some gentle and elegant floral notes, with a slight bitterness. In some flavor wheels, people classify Bergamot as a floral aroma.

Therefore, coffees with "bergamot" flavors often point to bright, acidic beans. For example, many washed Panamanian Geishas are often described as having this citrus aroma used in making Earl Grey tea.

Multiple Meanings of "Bergamot"

The herbaceous plant bee balm (Monarda didyma), native to various parts of the United States and also called American mint, is also called "Bergamot" in English, so it's sometimes translated as "bergamot herb." Therefore, when a coffee is described as having "bergamot," it doesn't necessarily mean it only has the fruity notes of bergamot; it could also be a barista describing a unique combination of herbal and spice aromas.

Initially, FrontStreet Coffee also thought the "bergamot" flavor was actually Buddha's hand, so we procured a less photogenic "little green hand." Although the fruit hasn't turned yellow yet, when breaking off a finger and bringing it close to the nose, you can immediately smell a citrus aroma similar to green tangerine, with a flower-like sweetness and the fresh scent of pomelo peel. The rounded fruit flavor has a slightly uplifting cool sensation, and the aroma is very persistent.

Experiencing Bergamot in Coffee

Actually, FrontStreet Coffee wanted to experience the "bergamot flavor" that everyone describes, but unfortunately, fresh bergamot cannot be purchased in Guangzhou where we're located, so we can only seek this aroma in Earl Grey tea and washed green label Geisha from La Esmeralda estate.

The pour-over washed green label Geisha offers a rich white floral aroma upon first sip, with a gentle citrus acidity, and carries the sweetness of apricot and honeydew melon with a Tieguanyin tea-like aftertaste. As the temperature decreases, the Earl Grey sensation becomes more pronounced, clean and balanced.

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FrontStreet Coffee
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