LATEST REVIEWS

Co-cupper Wendy De Jong showed a bit more enthusiasm (89) than Ken (88) for this roast-influenced profile. For the dominant aromatic note in the cup Wendy read “fresh fig,” Ken simply “raisin.” Both cited a pungent, spicy cedar; Ken added dark chocolate. For Wendy the acidity was “mild and fruity.” Fullish body, though Ken found the mouthfeel slightly lean.

Evaluated as espresso. In the small cup sweet-toned but crisp, with complex and impressive aromatics: fresh-cut fir, lemon, orange, roasted nut, and a hint of milk chocolate carry engagingly from aroma through finish. Smooth but slightly lean mouthfeel. In three parts milk the flavors resolve into a pungent, fruit-toned dark chocolate.

Evaluated as espresso. Savory-sweet, syrupy and deep in the small cup: cherryish fruit, dark chocolate, brandy, aromatic wood. Simplifies a bit but remains rich in two parts milk: Dark chocolate and aromatic wood dominate; the fruit rounds toward apricot.

Evaluated as espresso. Dark chocolate, cherryish fruit and a hint of cedar in the aroma. In the small cup syrupy and robust: continued dark chocolate and cedar, a savory anise note, hints of flowers and pear-like fruit. Deep, resonant finish. In two parts milk a crisp, richly bittersweet chocolate dominates with continued faint suggestions of anise and flowers.

Naturally sweet, quietly complex. Cherry, orange, and a pungent hint of fir in aroma and cup. Rich, balanced acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The fruit hints at chocolate in the resonant finish.

Delicate, bright, juicy, precious. Ripe lemon, orange, tart cherry, black currant in aroma and cup. Tartly sweet acidity, silky mouthfeel. Rich, almost sugary finish.

Richly sweet in aroma and cup; notes of dry berry, citrus and stone fruit slowly emerge and become more prominent as the cup cools. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel and sustained fruit-toned acidity. The fruit character lingers in the lushly sweet finish.

Rich, deep dark-roast character. Raisiny dark chocolate and gently scorched cedar dominate in aroma and cup. Relatively light in body, but smooth in mouthfeel. Sweet, raisiny short finish, with just a hint of roasty astringency in the long.

Evaluated as espresso. Intense, complex aroma: dark chocolate, flowers, nut, fresh-cut fir, toast. Smooth but rather lean mouthfeel; butter, fir, dark chocolate in the flavor. In two parts milk the buttery dark chocolate nicely dominates, with a continuing pungent complication of fir.

Gently sweet in aroma and cup, highlighted by notes of honeyed orange, flowers and a suggestion of nut. Gently bright acidity, medium body and a silky mouthfeel. A simplified version of the fruit-floral complex lingers in the dry finish.

Evaluated as espresso. In the small cup some citrusy brightness, but the main sensory excitement is provided by pungent aromatic wood and savory anise notes with a deep backgrounded dark chocolate. Slightly leanish, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Lovely in two parts milk: the aromatic wood notes round to roasted nut and the dark chocolate swells and sweetens.

Lemon, crisply cocoaish chocolate, dry-roasted nut in aroma and cup. Balanced, well-integrated acidity, smoothly silky mouthfeel. Cleanly rich finish.

The pure flavor of the coffee fruit displays with in aroma and cup, a fusion of cherry and lemon sensations with a hint of chocolate developed by the roast. Balanced, resonant acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Ringingly rich finish with continuing hints of fruit and chocolate.

Evaluated as espresso. Bright and juicy. Flowers, ripe citrus and stone fruit in the small cup with caramel undertones. The fruit carries into a clean finish, with sugary sweetness developing in the long. Two parts milk amplifies the caramel character and rounds the persistent fruit and floral notes.

Pungent dark-roasted blend. Scorched wood and pruny sweetness in the aroma soften and complicate in the cup: dark chocolate, raisin, hints of lemon and savory cardamom. Surprisingly smooth, silky mouthfeel. Flavor thins and fades in the finish, though the pleasing dark chocolate suggestion persists.

Evaluated as espresso. Deep, rich, smoky dark chocolate with hints of fresh-cut fir and caramel in the aroma. In the small cup fresh-cut fir dominates, complicated by continued smoky dark chocolate, flowers and an apricot-like fruit. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel and crisp, sweet-toned, though slightly astringent finish. Impressively balanced presence in two parts milk: buttery dark chocolate, hints of flowers and apricot.

Deep, rich, balanced when hot. Fresh-cut fir, milk chocolate and an apricot-like fruit in the aroma; in the cup the chocolate turns crisper and more cocoa-like and the fruit more lemony. Softly round acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor fades in the finish, though the pleasing chocolate note persists.

Roundly balanced, subtly complex. Hints of raisin, table grape, milk chocolate, molasses in the aroma. Ripe citrus notes develop in the cup, complicated by continued molasses and grape-like fruit. Rich acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Simple, sweet finish.

Orange, raisin, roasted nut, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Dry, brisk acidity; medium body, silky mouthfeel. The raisiny dark chocolate carries into a rich finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Rich, sweet-toned aroma: toast, nut, flowers, apricot. In the small cup rather lean in mouthfeel but pleasing in flavor: sandalwood, apricot-like or perhaps mango-like fruit, dark chocolate, a hint of flowers. Rich, flavor-saturated finish. Crisply chocolaty in milk with continued complications of apricot and sandalwood.