What Is The Difference Between Single-Origin Coffees And Blends?

With coffee growing and drinking spreading worldwide and owing to more experimentation, there is a wide variety of coffee types available in the mass market and unique blends available in specialty cafés and coffee retailers. Among these coffee types include single-origin coffees and blends.

Understanding the two types of coffee will give you a better understanding of which type of coffee best suits your particular preferences. Keep reading this article to learn more about the difference between the two. 

Single-Origin Coffees vs. Blends

The vast majority of the world's coffee experience is based on consuming coffee blends. After all, the art and craft of blending different coffee beans have existed for hundreds of years. The earliest forms of coffee blending were done by the Dutch, who combined coffee from their colony Java with Mocha, coffee sourced from Yemen, creating the now famous Mocha-Java blend. 

Single origins, on the other hand, come in many forms. The term single origin is used to mean a single country, single region, single farm/cooperative, or single micro-lot/nano-lot. Nonetheless, a single source indicates that the coffee comes from one traceable location. Additionally, single-origin coffee is typically lightly roasted to preserve the unique characteristics of the coffee beans.

The Main Differences Between Single Origin Coffee And Coffee Blends 

Single origin coffee and coffee blends can be distinguished in the following categories:

1). Flavour Profile 

The flavour profile of single-origin coffee is the most faithful reflection of the coffee cultivated in a particular location of origin. The flavour profile has not been mellowed or interfered with by introducing complementing or counteracting flavours. As such, single-origin coffee tends to be punchy, bold, robust and exotic. 

Additionally, the flavour profile might vary across different batches of single-origin coffee due to the seasonal changes in the flavour profile. Many coffee connoisseurs consider single-origin coffee the best kind of coffee as it allows you to explore the regional flavour profile of coffee.

While some blends are created out of experimentation, the vast majority of modern coffee blends are made to achieve a particular flavour profile. By blending coffee beans from different parts of the world, blenders can balance the flavour profile. Using complementing beans, you can cut the boldness and robustness of individual flavours, creating a smooth, homogenous and consistent flavour. Consequently, coffee blends tend to have caramel, chocolate, and nutty flavours.

2). Consistency 

It's incredibly difficult for the flavour of single-origin coffee to stay consistent all-year round. With weather affecting the flavour profile of the coffee, you can expect the flavours of a single-origin coffee to change throughout the year. Different harvests will taste differently depending on the prevailing conditions. 

On the other hand, the blender can tweak the blend ratio to achieve a consistent flavour profile year-round consistently. While the flavour profile of coffee blends tends to be mellowed out, it’s difficult to notice the differences between batches produced at different times of the year.

3). Purity 

When purity comes to play, single-origin coffee is the epitome of pure coffee. The flavours are as precise as produced by mother nature in a specific location. On the other hand, blends are designed to have a smooth taste, cutting the uniqueness and boldness of the coffee. However, the mellow flavour profile is particularly prised for making milk-based coffee drinks such as espresso and cappuccino. 

4). Traceability 

The origin of coffee blends is often ambiguous, while the origin of single-origin coffee is easy to identify. By blending a wide variety of coffee beans from different regions and countries, coffee blends lose their originality. On the other hand, you can trace the origin of the coffee beans to a single country, region, cooperative, and sometimes farm. 

Summary

Single-origin coffee and coffee blends have their differences. Each has its own benefits and demerits. Whichever type of coffee you prefer, ensure you enjoy it the best way possible—as high-quality brewed as possible. Explore our bundles' shop here at Pesado for one of our coffee brewing bundles to make high-quality coffee every time.