Single origin coffee is where place becomes flavour. It’s the purest expression of what makes coffee special — not just the bean itself, but the soil, the altitude, the microclimate, the processing, and the people behind it. Every origin tells a different story, and every cup lets you taste a specific point on the map.
At The Roasting Party, we roast single origins with that sense of identity front and centre. We don’t blend them, tweak them, or try to tame them — we let them speak.
What Dictates Flavour?
When people ask why one coffee tastes like strawberries and another like dark chocolate, it comes down to a few key factors. Understanding these helps you predict how a single origin might taste before it even hits the grinder.
Altitude
Generally, the higher the altitude, the slower the coffee cherry ripens — which means more time for complex sugars and acids to develop. High-grown coffees tend to be brighter, more floral or citrusy, and more structured. Lower-altitude coffees are usually rounder, softer, and nuttier.
Region & Climate
A coffee’s region tells you a lot about its expected profile. Rainfall, sunlight, soil type, and even the harvest season influence flavour. For example:
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East African regions often produce clean, floral, tea-like coffees.
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Central America is known for structured acidity and stone fruits.
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Asian regions can yield deep, earthy, or spiced profiles — perfect for those who prefer richness over brightness.
Processing Method
How the coffee is processed after picking has a huge impact on flavour:
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Washed (or wet) – Clean, crisp, often highlighting acidity and florals.
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Natural (or dry) – Fruit-forward, heavier body, with potential for jammy, tropical or fermented notes.
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Honey / Pulped Natural – A middle ground. Sweet, syrupy, often rounded and smooth.
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Wet-Hulled (common in Sumatra) – Rich, earthy, often spicy or herbal, with a wild edge.
Varietal
Much like grapes in wine, different coffee varietals (or cultivars) express unique flavour traits. Some are prized for clarity and brightness, others for body or sweetness. Here's a quick guide to the most common ones you'll see on our shelves:
Heirloom / Landrace (Ethiopia)
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Wild, genetically diverse varietals native to Ethiopia
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Tastes like: Jasmine, bergamot, peach, lemon, tea-like body
SL28 & SL34 (Kenya)
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Developed in Kenya for cup quality and drought resistance
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Tastes like: Blackcurrant, tomato, red berries, high acidity, juicy
Bourbon
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A classic, balanced varietal found across Latin America and Africa
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Tastes like: Chocolate, red fruits, sweet acidity, elegant
Typica
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One of the oldest Arabica lineages; elegant but low-yielding
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Tastes like: Floral, clean, sweet, delicate body
Caturra
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A natural dwarf mutation of Bourbon, common in Colombia and Central America
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Tastes like: Soft citrus, chocolate, medium body
Catuai
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A compact, high-yield hybrid (Caturra × Mundo Novo)
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Tastes like: Nutty, chocolatey, lower acidity, smooth
Pacamara
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A cross between Pacas (Bourbon mutation) and Maragogype (giant beans)
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Tastes like: Big body, spice, tropical fruit, sometimes herbal
Geisha (Gesha)
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A rare, high-altitude varietal originally from Ethiopia
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Tastes like: Jasmine, tropical fruit, bergamot, silky and perfumed
Castillo / Colombia
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Disease-resistant hybrids commonly used in Colombia
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Tastes like: Balanced, cocoa, fruit — varies widely by farm and altitude
Catimor / Sarchimor
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Hybrid lines designed for disease resistance and productivity
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Tastes like: Generally heavier body, mild fruit, can be herbal or woody depending on care
Understanding varietals can help you choose a single origin based on flavour expectations — just like choosing a wine by grape.
What to Expect by Origin
While flavour is never just about country, there are some broad tendencies that can guide your expectations:
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Africa
Think: florals, citrus, stone fruits, tea-like clarity. Ethiopia and Kenya in particular are known for complex, elegant profiles — often with washed or natural processes that highlight fruit and brightness. -
The Americas
Expect chocolate, caramel, red fruits, and structured acidity. Colombian coffees are known for balance and sweetness; Guatemalan and Costa Rican coffees often show juicy fruit and cocoa. Brazil, typically lower-grown, brings body and nutty richness. -
Asia
Rich, textured, sometimes funky. Indonesian coffees (especially Sumatran) can be earthy, spicy, or syrupy. Others — like certain Indian or Papua New Guinean lots — bring tropical fruits, molasses, or baking spice warmth.
At The Roasting Party, we always keep a rotation that includes singles from Africa, the Americas, and Asia — because the range of flavour between these continents is what makes specialty coffee so exciting.
Why We Serve Singles
Single origins let us showcase the diversity of coffee. They're about expression, not consistency. Where a blend is designed for structure and familiarity, a single origin is about showing off what makes a coffee distinct — even if that means embracing wild florals, sparkling acids, or unconventional textures.
They’re also about transparency. Serving a single origin means telling a clearer story: where it was grown, how it was processed, and who produced it. That connection between farm and cup is something we value deeply.
Brewing With Singles
Black Coffee
Single origins shine best without milk. Brewed as espresso or filter, their complexity and nuance take centre stage. We especially love:
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Espresso – tight, intense, often fruit-forward or bright. We’ll dial in each single for sweetness and texture without sacrificing clarity.
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Batch brew / Pour over – ideal for bringing out subtle notes, especially in delicate or floral coffees.
For baristas or home brewers, singles are an invitation to slow down and brew with intention. Every detail — grind, dose, yield, water — makes a difference.
Milk-Based Coffees
While most singles are roasted with black in mind, some shine in milk — especially naturals or those with lower acidity. Expect flavours like strawberries and cream, passionfruit custard, or brown sugar and spice. But milk will change the game — you won’t get consistency, but you might get something unforgettable.
The Takeaway
Single origin coffees are all about flavour, transparency, and discovery. They're not built for autopilot brewing — they're for drinkers who want to taste the difference.
At The Roasting Party, we keep a curated, seasonal rotation of singles from Africa, the Americas, and Asia, because we believe every continent brings something worth celebrating.
If blends are about harmony, singles are about identity. They’re how we keep things exciting — one origin, one story, one cup at a time.
