LATEST REVIEWS

A light-roasted coffee rather too bright and lean-bodied to fulfill conventional expectations for espresso, though shimmeringly floral and citrusy throughout the profile. "Very clean and floral in the aroma" for co-taster Heather Perry (87). In the small cup refreshingly if rather sharply citrus, with "delicate butter and floral notes" (Ken, 87) that carry into an impressive, sweetly dry finish. The delicate floral and citrus profile fades in milk, however, retaining a tart sweetness but quite lean in mouthfeel.

Crisply floral-toned aroma, caramel and pear-toned fruit notes, with a hint of cedary warmth. In the cup medium body with a lightly and pleasantly syrupy mouthfeel. A bright, pronounced acidity simplifies the aromatics when the cup is hot, but as it cools a delicate, tight-knit complexity emerges: hints of white wine, caramelly milk chocolate, continued pear-toned fruit. Clean, sweetly dry finish.

Symphonically rich coffee of extraordinary elegance. Crisp dry berry notes of the kind often characterized as black currant, orange, nut, dusk flowers run through the profile from aroma to cup. Powerful acidity enveloped in sweetness, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The black currant notes in particular carry into a long, pure, sweet-toned finish.

Balanced, complex, complete. The quiet but assertive acidity was praised as "balanced" by co-cupper Ted Stachura (93) and "sweet, rich, integrated" by Ken (94). The mouthfeel was "juicy" (Ted), the aroma and cup showed a crisply sweet complex of dry berry, cocoa, flowers, citrus, nut. Long, deep, chocolate-toned finish.

In the aroma roasted nut and honey for co-cupper Ted Stachura (91), plum, cedar and nut for Ken (92). In the cup softly acidy, gently bittersweet, quietly complex: cocoa, roasted nut, (walnut for Ted), hints of flowers, citrus and plumy fruit. The cocoa turns chocolaty in a surprisingly rich finish.

Ken (91) was struck by the pungently sweet berry or black currant notes, which carry straight through from aroma through cup to finish. Co-cupper Ted Stachura (also 91) was a bit more general in his characterization, finding "sweet, winy tones and fruit" in the aroma and "bright acidity with floral qualities and sweet tangerine, cherry blossom and chocolate" in the cup. For both Ken and Ted the finish was slightly heavy but nevertheless pleasantly rich and flavor-saturated.

Little difference in rating or description between Ken (92) and co-cupper Ted Stachura (91) in regard to this exceptional Brazil natural. Ted's assessment: "Big, floral aroma - lavender, fruit and sweet-leaning white wine. Floral and fruit qualities carry into the bright, yet fine, acidity. Complex flavors with more floral upfront, subtle, tart citrus tones and lots of sweetness. Clean finish with lingering floral hints."

Ken (91) was more attracted to this coffee's sweet, deeply low-toned, big-bodied character than was co-cupper Ted Stachura (89), who found the dominant nut and bittersweet chocolate character marked by a hint of woodiness. But both cuppers describe a deep, dark-chocolaty, nutty coffee with a balancing hint of citrus and a rich if slightly heavy finish.

Co-cupper Ted Stachura (91) and Ken (88) both admired the honeyish, crisply fruit- and floral-influenced aroma. Ken, however, found the cup very slightly sharp with a mild but distracting astringency. Ted, however, had no complaints: "bright, tangy acidity with floral tones. Flavor: floral, sweet, [with] notes of tangerine and fruity white wine. Mild, nutty finish."

Caramelly, wine-like aroma with ripe, perhaps overripe, fruit notes. Dense, heavy presence in the cup. Both Ken (89) and co-cupper Ted Stachura (89) found bittersweet chocolate notes. Ted also noted nut, pipe tobacco, hints of leather. Long, nut-toned finish.

Ken (89) and co-cupper Ted Stachura (88) both found cocoa, black-cherryish fruit and nut notes running from aroma through finish. Soft acidity, medium body, silky mouthfeel. Rich finish with fruit notes persisting through a very slight hint of astringency.

A very sweet-toned coffee with a balancing crisp pungency. Roasted nut notes turned up in aroma and cup for both Ken (89) and co-cupper Ted Stachura (86) with low-acid fruit notes that Ken read as raisin and Ted as cherry. Ken found cocoa and dusk-floral notes in both cup and finish, which perhaps accounts for his higher rating.

Roasty notes in both aroma and cup: pungent cedar, dark chocolate, caramel. For co-cupper Ted Stachura (88) further hints of nut and pipe tobacco; for Ken (88) dusk flowers. Full body, lightly syrupy mouthfeel, a slight hint of astringency in the otherwise rich, sweet, cocoa-toned finish.

In the aroma cocoaish chocolate with floral top notes. In the cup Ken (89) and co-cupper Ted Stachura (87) both found continued baker's chocolate notes with a lean toward nut. Complications for Ken were hints of flowers and white wine, for Ted faint suggestions of citrus and pipe tobacco. Round and chocolaty in the short finish, fading toward a mild astringency (Ted: "dry wood") in the long.

Sweet-toned aroma with fruit notes that Ken (88) read as banana and co-cupper Ted Stachura (88) as blackberry. In the cup fresh, delicate, with nut and continued fruit notes complicated by floral hints that Ken found just a touch grassy, a fault that for him carried into the otherwise clean, floral-toned finish.

Deep-toned and roasty in the aroma: dark chocolate, fir, floral top notes. In the cup heavy bodied, low-toned, continued dark chocolate and aromatic wood notes with the barest hint of flowers at the top. Smooths out nicely in the finish: rich, sweet, chocolaty.

Exhilarating, fresh-toned aroma: jasmine, sweet herbs. In the cup crisply sweet-toned acidity, medium body, continued flowers, sweet herb and a tingly, cocoa-toned chocolate. Deep, flower-saturated finish.

Exquisitely lyric aroma: flowers, tart cherry, honey, a suggestion of milk chocolate. In the cup sweet acidity and continued meadowy flower and flowering grass notes, honey, tart cherry, all of which carry into a delicate but ringing finish.

A quiet but distinctive Ethiopia wet-processed profile. Distinct orange blossom and honeyed orange notes in the aroma, with hints of nut and caramel. In the cup delicate, balanced acidity, silky mouthfeel, continued honeyed orange and orange blossom with a balancing, slightly pungent nut note, walnut perhaps. Sweet, flavor saturated finish. The cup stiffens and simplifies slightly as it cools.

Unusual profile. Intensely and pungently roasty but quite sweet, with the dominant note licorice or fennel with hints of rosemary, roasted nut, molasses, raisin, dark chocolate. The chocolate lingers most clearly in the clean, richly long finish. Some mild inconsistency from cup to cup.