Washed, honey, natural: what the difference tastes like

Three ways to take the fruit off the seed, and three different cups from the same tree.

The same variety, grown on the same slope, can taste very different depending on how the fruit is taken off the seed.

Washed

The fruit is removed before drying. The cup is usually cleaner and brighter, with the character of the variety and the altitude in front.

Honey

Some of the sticky fruit layer is left on while the coffee dries. Expect more sweetness and body, with softer acidity.

Natural

The whole cherry dries intact. The cup is fruitier and heavier, and a good natural is sweet and clear rather than fermented.