LATEST REVIEWS
We have published thousands of coffee reviews and espresso reviews since 1997. The reviews below appear in reverse chronological order by review date. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee. To search for a specific roaster, origin or coffee use the Advanced Search Function.
Richly sweet-savory, cocoa-toned. Cocoa powder, hop flowers, black cherry, fresh-cut oak, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Balanced, bittersweet structure with brisk acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to cocoa-toned black cherry and oak.
Price: $15.95/12 ounces
Fruit-toned, chocolaty. Dark chocolate, dried raspberry, cedar, molasses, lily in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with mild, accessible acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The fruit-toned finish is supported by notes of dark chocolate and cedar.
Deeply sweet, roast-toned. Dark caramel, gently scorched fir, gardenia, date, a hint of cardamom in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gentle, round acidity; velvety mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of dark caramel and gardenia, with undertones of aromatic wood.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Notes of peach, pomegranate, a whiff of rum barrel, cocoa powder, jasmine. Sweet-tart structure with high-toned acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. The acidy brightness fades in the finish, leaving pretty fruit notes (peach, pomegranate) with hints of vaguely fermenty sweetness we associated with rum barrel. In milk, fruit recedes and cocoa powder comes to the fore.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Juicy, tart-leaning, sweetly savory. Pie cherry, cocoa nib, freesia-like flowers, hazelnut toffee, myrrh. Sweet-savory structure with vibrant acidity; delicate, crisp mouthfeel. The savory-sweet theme continues into the finish with undertones of freesia and myrrh.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Rhubarb, Pinot Noir grape, cocoa nib, honeysuckle, sandalwood. Sweet-tart-savory structure with big, juicy acidity; viscous, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of rhubarb and cocoa nib with sandalwood undertones.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Rich, floral-toned, intricate and complex. Notes of wisteria, Keemun black tea, cocoa nib, Meyer lemon, frankincense. Crisp, tart-leaning structure with sweet undertones and juicy acidity; refreshing, velvety mouthfeel. Satisfying, lingering finish with notes of black tea and lemon. Stands up to milk with continued tartness and amplification of the cocoa note.
Price: $20.00/Four 12-ounce bottles
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Chocolaty-rich, deep-toned. Dark chocolate, candied walnut, pear, baking spices, cedar. Sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Resonant chocolate-toned finish with undertones of candied walnut and cedar. Milk makes the chocolate notes lift off in this developed roast profile.
Price: $4.00/12-ounce bottle; $20.00/6-pack
A ready-to-drink black coffee tested cold. Subtle, nuanced, attractively bittersweet. Dark chocolate, candied tangerine, cashew butter, lilac, cedar. Balanced structure with gentle but vibrant acidity; plush, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The brisk finish centers around dark chocolate and cedar notes. Milk particularly enlivens dark chocolate, candied citrus, and cashew notes.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Deeply sweet, caramel-toned. Dark caramel, vanilla bean, date, magnolia, fresh-cut oak. Richly sweet in structure with lively acidity; lightly velvety mouthfeel. Consolidates to dark caramel and vanilla bean in the finish. Milk gives this cold coffee a dessert-like quality.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Crisp, sweetly tart, multi-layered. Black cherry, rhododendron, marzipan, oak, baking chocolate. Sweet-tart structure with brisk acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Marzipan and oak carry into the quietly engaging finish. Milk changes the equation entirely; rhododendron and baking chocolate take center stage with levity added by the infused nitrogen.
Price: NT $200/150 ml. bottle
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Bing cherry, sassafras, aromatic orchid, bay tree, brandy. Sweet-tart structure with juicy, bright acidity; lush, mouth-filling viscosity. Long, resonant, flavor-saturated finish that carries over all the notes from the cup. Quiet and elegant in milk, with all flavor notes represented at a lower volume.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Delicate, sweet-toned. Apricot, almond, lime zest, baking chocolate, maple syrup. Sweet-tart structure with gentle, mild acidity; light, almost feathery mouthfeel. Crisp, subtly sweet-tart finish. Baking chocolate and almond notes bloom in milk, while apricot and lime zest recede.
Price: $18.00/4-12-ounce bottles; 32 ounces/$12; 64-ounces/$20.00
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Richly chocolaty, boldly nut-toned, deeply sweet. Chocolate fudge, rhododendron, black cherry, fresh-cut fir, molasses. Sweet-toned structure with mild acidity; crisp, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The chocolaty finish is supported by rhododendron and fresh-cut fir. With a splash of whole milk, fudge-like chocolate notes and undertones of black cherry win the day.
Evaluated as an instant or soluble coffee at proportions of one packet of instant coffee (5 grams) mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Delicately sweet-tart. Caramel, green apple, hazelnut, magnolia, oak in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with little perceptible acidity; smooth mouthfeel with medium weight. The crisp finish centers around notes of caramel, hazelnut and green apple.
Price: $15.00/20 ounces (2 types)
Richly sweet-savory, complex, nuanced. Butterscotch, hop flowers, sandalwood, dried apricot, candycap mushroom in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with gentle, round acidity; very full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates around notes of sandalwood and hop flowers with apricot undertones.
Price: NT $450/220 grams
Deeply rich, chocolaty and fruit-toned. Blueberry tart, chocolate fudge, rum barrel, gardenia, molasses in aroma and cup. Vibrantly sweet-tart structure with juicy, fruit-forward acidity; creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to suggestions of dried blueberry, chocolate fudge and rum barrel.
Evaluated as espresso. Cocoa-toned, sweetly smoky. Cocoa powder, gently scorched oak, lily, raisin, Brazil nut in aroma and small cup. Crisp, velvety mouthfeel; gently drying, nut- and cocoa-toned finish. In three parts milk, notes of cocoa powder and Brazil nut come to the fore, supported by hints of smoky oak.
Spice-toned, delicate and deep. Cardamom, black tea, bergamot, honeysuckle, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with juicy acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Flavor-saturated finish leads with cardamom and bergamot, rounding to honeysuckle-toned sandalwood in the long.
Delicate, deep, vibrantly sweet-tart. Lilac, dried apricot, cocoa nib, lemon verbena, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with lively, bright acidity; plush, viscous mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of apricot and cocoa nib.