Advance Your Palate: Sensory Skills Intermediate 
(In-Person)

Take your tasting skills to the next level in the SCA-Authorized Sensory Skills Intermediate Course — an immersive, in-person training experience designed for coffee professionals who want to move beyond basic tasting and into structured sensory analysis.

Hosted in beautiful Moscow, Idaho, this multi-day course combines advanced theory, hands-on tasting, structured cuppings, and practical exams to help you evaluate coffee with greater precision, confidence, and consistency. Located just 90 minutes from Spokane International Airport (GEG), Moscow offers a focused learning environment without big-city distractions.

This course is ideal for those ready to treat sensory skills not just as an art, but as a professional tool.

What You’ll Learn

Through guided instruction, extensive tasting practice, and real-world sensory applications, you’ll build on your foundation and develop advanced sensory competencies, including:

The Science Behind Sensory Perception

Explore how physiology, psychology, memory, and bias influence how we perceive flavor.

Taste, Aroma, and Mouthfeel at a deeper level

Analyze flavor as a multi-sensory experience, including retronasal aroma, tactile sensations, and cross-modal perception.

Advanced Flavor Identification

Refine your use of the Coffee Taster’s Flavor Wheel and World Coffee Research Sensory Lexicon through repeated, structured practice.

Difference Testing & Triangulations

Learn how to design, perform, and analyze triangulation tests to detect perceptible differences between coffees — a critical skill for quality control and product development.

Professional Cupping Operations

Conduct both SCA Descriptive and SCA Affective assessments using the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) Protocol, with a strong focus on accuracy and repeatability.

Sensory Panels & Programs

Understand how to set up, train, and manage sensory panels, including best practices for calibration, panelist selection, and business applications.

Course Details

Format: In-person only

Location: Moscow, Idaho

Duration: 2 days (includes practical exam)

Assessment:

• 35-question written exam (70% to pass)

• Practical sensory exam (70% to pass)

Prerequisites:

Sensory Skills Foundation strongly recommended

Introduction to Coffee and Green Coffee Foundation also recommended

This course is intensive, interactive, and designed for learners with prior cupping experience.

Why Take Sensory Skills Intermediate in Moscow, Idaho

This course is an official Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Certified Coffee Skills Program (CSP) module and a critical step for anyone pursuing professional sensory credentials.

In-person training allows for:

• Real-time instructor feedback

• Group calibration and discussion

• Structured sensory testing environments

• Hands-on practical exam preparation

Delivered by SCA-certified instructors at the Idaho Coffee Institute, this course blends scientific rigor with applied, real-world coffee evaluation skills.

What to Bring

All coffee, cupping equipment, and sensory materials are provided.

Learners should bring:

• A notebook or tasting journal

• Comfortable clothing suitable for extended tasting sessions

• A readiness to taste, analyze, and think critically

Travel Notes

📍 Moscow, Idaho

✈️ Spokane International Airport (GEG) — approximately 90 minutes by car

🚗 Scenic drive through the Palouse region

🏨 Local hotels, cafés, and walkable downtown nearby

Many participants choose to pair this course with additional training or a long weekend in the area.

Your Next Step in Sensory Mastery

Sensory Skills Intermediate bridges the gap between basic tasting and professional sensory analysis. It prepares learners for advanced roles in quality control, roasting, green buying, product development, and for progression toward Sensory Skills Professional.