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.
High-toned, sweetly tart, deeply savory. Jasmine, dark chocolate, lemon verbena, pink grapefruit zest, candycap mushroom in aroma and cup. Balanced sweet-tart-savory structure; lyrical, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The flavor-saturated finish leads with citrus notes (lemon verbena, grapefruit) in the short, rounding to deep chocolate and sweet mushroom in the long.
Richly sweet, spice-toned. Baker’s chocolate, spice box, magnolia, fresh-cut fir, brown sugar in aroma and cup. Sweet in structure with round, gentle acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. The finish centers around baker’s chocolate and spice with notes of aromatic wood throughout.
High-toned, richly savory-sweet. Red currant, hop flowers, dark chocolate, oak, maple syrup in aroma and cup. Rich, savory-sweet structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Resoundingly long, flavor-saturated finish.
Cleanly fruit-toned, deeply rich. Dried raspberry, toffee, molasses, cedar, narcissus-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Impressively resonant, multi-layered finish.
Crisp, citrusy, deeply sweet. Lemon verbena, cacao nib, agave syrup, cedar, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with high-toned, lively acidity; full, viscous mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of citrus-toned cocoa and freesia.
Sweet, deep, nut-toned but juicy. Roasted pistachio, baker’s chocolate, lime zest, hints of peach and elderflower in aroma and cup. Gently and roundly bright in structure; smooth, satiny in mouthfeel. Coconut, implicit in the cup, emerges in a nut-buttery finish.
A deep sweetness and considerable complexity resonate impressively inside a bitter-savory structure. Hints of blueberry and guava, spearmint, cocoa, rose, a hint of clove in aroma and cup. Fully, syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor carries persuasively into a rich though bittersweet finish.
Price: $25.00/12 ounces
Deeply sweet, pungent, with a very slight roasty edge. Cedar, dark chocolate, candied walnut, dried peach, narcissus-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweetly and roundly brisk in structure; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Chocolate dominates in the short finish, cedar in the long.
Mild though intricately deep; sweet, savory, rich. Cocoa, hemp-seed, scorched clove, fig, gardenia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Quiet but well-composed sweet/savory structure; light though nicely satiny mouthfeel. The finish is resonant and gently drying.
Briskly sweet-savory, rounded by a cherry-like juiciness. Black cherry, lavender, baker’s chocolate, pistachio, artichoke blossom in aroma and cup. Bittersweet and savory in structure lifted by a cushiony fruit; full and plump in mouthfeel. The richly drying finish consolidates around chocolate, nut and a hint of flowers.
Sweet, crisply nut- and cocoa-toned. Cocoa, hazelnut, honey, a hint of lime zest, artichoke blossom in aroma and cup. Delicately crisp, lightly zesty in structure; light and silky in mouthfeel. Surprisingly resonant in the finish, with flavor consolidating around flowers and a hint of citrus.
Sweetly and crisply floral- and fruit-toned. Roasted pineapple, honey, cashew, lavender and magnolia, baker’s chocolate in aroma and cup. In structure round, balanced, sweet with a tart/savory edge. Lightly syrupy, satiny mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates around dry, spicy chocolate in a crisp finish.
Evaluated as espresso produced as a ristretto 25ml (.85-ounce) shot using a Nespresso capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated using a conventional steam wand. Distinctly chocolaty, gently and sweetly bright. Baker’s chocolate, sweet lemon zest, almond, rhododendron-like flowers, maple wood in aroma and small cup. Feathery, lightly buoyant mouthfeel; flavor consolidates but rings on in a balanced finish. Crisply sweet in three parts milk: sweet lemon and chocolate, floral hints.
Price: NT $450/227 grams
Fruit-driven, sweetly savory. Dried raspberry, baker’s chocolate, hop flowers, grappa barrel, cedar in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with round, accessible acidity; full, viscous mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of raspberry and lily with a hint of grappa barrel.
Sweetly fermenty with savory undertones, very fruit-forward. Concord grape, chocolate rum cordial, cucumber pickles, musk, gently scorched sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with winy acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Ferment carries into the finish, with notes of Concord grape, rum, scorched sandalwood and a hint of dark chocolate in the long.
Price: $21.00/12 ounces
Complex, chocolaty, richly sweet. Dark chocolate, guava, butterscotch, honeysuckle, ginger blossom in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with high-toned acidity; crisp, syrupy mouthfeel. Long, resounding finish that carries over all the notes from the cup, in particular foregrounding guava and dark chocolate.
Price: NT $300/8 ounces
Delicately fruit-toned. Persimmon, rose hips, cacao nib, lemon verbena, saltwater taffy in aroma and cup. Balanced, sweet-savory structure with fruit-driven acidity; vibrant, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to persimmon and rose hips with cocoa undertones.
Price: $19.00/12 ounces
Evaluated as espresso. Nuanced, floral-toned, richly sweet. Wisteria, chocolate fudge, almond brittle, cedar, black cherry in aroma and small cup. Lightly syrupy, crisp mouthfeel; gently drying, cocoa-and wood-framed finish. Notes of wisteria are foregrounded in three parts milk, supported by chocolate fudge and almond.
Roast-rounded, savory-sweet. Ripe tomato, baker’s chocolate, scorched oak, toffee, magnolia in aroma and cup. Balanced, sweet-savory structure with gentle acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to notes of sweet tomato and baker’s chocolate with a hint of magnolia.
Bittersweet, rich-toned. Date, grapefruit zest, hazelnut, cedar, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is framed by aromatic wood notes (cedar) with date and hazelnut undertones and a throughline of grapefruit zest.