Imbibe will be closed on October 3, 4, 17, 18, 25, and 26. Please expect delays in responses during this time.

36 Key Terms for Describing Taste and Flavor

When developing a new product, you are likely to go through several tasting sessions before finalizing a formula. Using the same lexicon when describing taste and flavor can help the product developer and flavorist understand desired flavor adjustments and speed up the process of achieving the expected taste and mouthfeel.

We talk about how to describe flavor often, because we’re designing new ones every day. Reach out to request flavor samples from our extensive flavor library.

Here is an explanation of some of the common terms used to describe taste and flavor:

Astringency – Dry, chalky sensation in the mouth

Acidic – Sharp, tart, sour

Acrid – Pungent, sharp, biting, bitter

Alkaline – Dry, somewhat bitter

Ashy – Dry, burnt, smoky, bitter

Barnyard – Dusty, musty, earthy

Burnt – Scorched, bitter

Buttery – Fatty, creamy, rich

Candy-like – Sweet, cooked sugar, cotton-candy

Cardboard – Papery, stale, oxidized

Caustic – Biting, acidic, astringent, stinging

Citrus – Ripe citrus fruit like lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange

Chalky – Dusty, powdery, gritty

Chemical – Medicinal, metal, sulphur

Clean – Without off-flavors or undesirable traits

Cooked – Sulfurous, caramelized, burnt

Delicate – Pleasant, mild, mellow

Earthy – Musty, green

Green – Vegetative, grassy, leguminous

Jammy – Preserved fruit, ripe, pungent, sweet

Lactic – Fresh, heated, acidified or transformed (burnt, rotten) milk

Lipid – Fatty, rich

Malt-like – Sweet, nutty

Medicinal – Chemical, plastic

Musty – Stale, moldy, mildew, damp

Piquant – Pleasantly pungent, tart, zesty, zingy

Pungent – Sharp, intense, penetrating

Phenolic – Plastic, chemical, medicinal

Rancid – Rotten, spoiled, stale, bad

Resinous – Woody, pine, cedar, oak

Smoky – Wood smoke, burnt, char

Sulfur – Rotten eggs, burning, match-like

Tangy – Tart, zesty, mouthwatering

Tart – Sour, sharp, bitter, acidic

Vegetal – Green, beany, raw, grassy

Yeasty – Bready, doughy

Have any other favorite tasting terms? Email us at thedrinktank@imbibeinc.com with your suggestions or to talk about your next beverage project.

Keep Reading:

Bergamot: A Versatile Citrus Revolutionizing Sweet Flavor Innovation

Bergamot continues to catch consumer attention, especially for its role in Earl Grey, which has experienced 11% search growth on Google in the past year.
READ MORE
non-alcohol spirits

Navigating the Non-Alcoholic Spirits Landscape: A Guide for Product Developers

If you're looking for guidance on formulating in the non-alcoholic space, Imbibe's product development team is on standby. With or without the burn, these products are fire.
READ MORE

Flavor Drop: Fruit Punch & Watermelon

Watermelon flavor has many characteristics including candied, ripe, green, or juicy, and Imbibe can help select or design the one best suited for your product.
READ MORE