Taste, Smell and Quality

The cola nut has a tart, spicy taste with a bitter note due to the caffeine and theobromine it contains, similar to unroasted cocoa. Good quality usually has a fruity note, while poorer quality smells musty. Fresh cola nuts are crispy and aromatic, similar to chestnuts, hazelnuts or acorns, and are popular among Africans and connoisseurs. The bitter cola, on the other hand, lives up to its name and tastes distinctly bitter. It differs significantly from the cola nut in appearance and smell and is often used as an aphrodisiac.

Dried KolaNut

The taste of the dried cola nut is tart, woody and aromatic with a clear relation to cocoa. The bitter note is due to the alkaloids caffeine and theobromine. Quite comparable to real cocoa, fermented but unroasted, just not chocolaty. The smell of cola, on the other hand, is unique and unmistakable. Good quality can be recognized by a delicate dark-fruity and spicy note. Poor quality can be recognized by its musty smell, like an old cellar. With good storage, the dried cola nut is durable for several years and it cannot become rancid due to the low fat content. The age is shown by an earthy or woody taste and, depending on the storage, also a musty smell.

Fresh Kola Nut

The taste of the cola nuts is tart, almost bitter, aromatic, cocoa-like and slightly fruity with a freshness that is hard to determine. It is multi-faceted, but can also be off-putting as it is unusual for many Europeans. The consistency and mouthfeel are similar to that of hazelnuts, although the cola nut is a bit crunchier. In this respect, it can also be compared well with chestnuts or acorns. Chewing fresh cola nuts is an African tradition, which is why they are particularly appreciated by Africans and a few connoisseurs. However, getting used to the taste is much easier when considering its useful effect, which it can demonstrate thanks to its high caffeine content. This is the reason why the cola nut spread from its origins in the West African tropical forests first over large parts of its home continent to South Africa and can now also be found in countries like India, Brazil, and the Philippines.

Bitter Kola

The bitter cola (bot. garcinia kola) is indeed bitter and is mainly used as an aphrodisiac. It differs significantly from the cola nut both in appearance and smell. Instead of a mixed role as a consumable, ritually significant symbol, and medicine like the cola nut, it is only appreciated for its medicinal properties.

Further reading: 2015 - Indigenous knowledge and socio-economic values of three kola used in southern Benin (English)                                                                                 2021 - Evaluation of garcinia kola (English)