Washed, honey, natural — what changes in the cup

Washed (wet) coffees remove the fruit before drying. The cup often reads cleaner: clearer acidity, tighter finish. Honey leaves some mucilage on the bean while drying; sweetness and body usually rise, clarity can soften. Naturals dry with the fruit on; fruit notes and heavier body show more often, and defects show more easily if drying was uneven.

None of the three is "better". A tidy natural can outcup a careless wash. When a bag skips the process line, you are missing one of the strongest predictors of how the cup will feel.

Experimental labels (anaerobic, carbonic, dual wash) need the same honesty: name the method, the days, and the farm. A new word on the bag is not a score.