The Sensuous Bean
Zimbabwe
| Roaster Location: | New York, New York |
| Coffee Origin: | Chipinge growing region, eastern Zimbabwe |
| Roast Level: | Medium |
| Agtron: | 50/63 |
| Review Date: | February 2005 |
| Aroma: | 5 |
| Acidity: | 6 |
| Body: | 8 |
| Flavor: | 6 |
| Aftertaste: | 7 |
Blind Assessment
A potentially fine coffee compromised by mild mildew tones probably picked up during storage. The aroma is flat, potatoey and faded. In the cup, however, sweet, lushly winy tones compete with the musty hardness, a combination that some coffee drinkers may find attractive. The finish is rich and clean.
Notes
Historically Zimbabwe has been the premier coffee origin of southern Africa, admired for its moderately acidy, sweetly fruity coffees. At this writing, however, (February 2005) social and economic disruptions provoked by the controversial policies of President Robert Mugabe and international reaction to those policies may be threatening the quality and consistency of Zimbabwe coffee, although I suspect the mild mildew taint displayed by this sample is a symptom of too long a time in the warehouse; this is almost certainly last year's crop. The Sensuous Bean is an award-winning boutique coffee roaster and tea seller located on Manhattan's Upper West Side. Visit
Who Should Drink It
Those who enjoy the earthy, musty tones in some Sumatra coffees.
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This review originally appeared in the February, 2005 tasting report: Fruit and Flowers: Coffees of Central and Southern Africa
