Wild and farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) were harvested from eight sources around the shores of Northern Ireland. Sensory evaluation of the flavor characteristics of the salmon was conducted using a sensory profiling method. The total lipids and fatty acid compositions of the salmon muscle were also determined. The results showed that the main differences in flavor occurred between wild, river and sea-caught salmon (whether farmed or wild). There was little difference in flavor between wild and farmed salmon when both were from the sea. In contrast, the main differences in fatty acid composition occurred between farmed and wild salmon. While both contained a similar proportion of n-3 fatty acids, farmed salmon contained higher concentrations of n-6 fatty acids and, therefore, a lower n-3/n-6 ratio than wild salmon. No direct correlation was found between fatty acid precursors and flavor.