Trolling the Supermarkets for Single-Origin Coffees

Crisply and subtly sweet. Black currant, almond, gardenia-like flowers, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Rounded, rich acidity; light but syrupy mouthfeel. Black currant and chocolate notes resonate in the quietly rich-toned, gently drying finish.

Those who value a roundly assertive Kenya with rich, complexly stated sweetness enveloping tart fruit notes. An almost shockingly low price for a Kenya this distinctive and pleasing.

Spicy, crisply sweet. Green apple and grape, sandalwood, roasted cacao nib, a hint of myrrh in aroma and cup. Round, brisk but juicy acidity; silky mouthfeel. Citrus and sandalwood, in particular, carry into a dry, zesty finish.

Sweetly and gently pungent, quietly complex. Dark chocolate, cedar, hazelnut, plum in aroma and cup. Round, backgrounded but softly resonant acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Hints of dark chocolate, cedar and plum all linger faintly but persistently in a sweet-toned finish.

Delicately and richly sweet. Orange marmalade, tea rose, fresh-cut fir, cashew in aroma and cup. Round, bittersweet acidity; full, lightly velvety mouthfeel. Fir and plum predominate in the quietly sweet, slightly drying finish.

Rich, roast-rounded. Baker’s chocolate, hazelnut, fir, brown sugar in aroma and cup. Gentle, balanced acidity; crisp, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavors consolidate in a dry, spicy finish, with chocolate lingering into the long.

Quiet, sweet-savory. Green apple, brown sugar, cedar, white peppercorn in aroma and cup. Brisk, juicy acidity; plump mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a crisp, dry finish.

Quiet; brisk but sweet. Black tea, almond, elm, bergamot, carob in aroma and cup. Round, backgrounded acidity; full, plush mouthfeel. Citrusy finish in the short, carob and elm in the long.

Mild, sweetly pungent. Apricot, brown sugar, hints of dark chocolate and lily in aroma and cup. Round, backgrounded acidity; plump mouthfeel. Flavor makes a rather faint last stand in a quiet finish.

Crisply sweet, delicate, balanced but simple. Molasses, raisin, freshly cut fir, a hint of hazelnut in aroma and cup. Crisp, though rather muted, acidity; silky, but very light, mouthfeel. Sweet in the finish, though drying and rather woody.

Cloying raw nut and vaguely spicy wood dominate in both aroma and cup, with some suggestions of roasted cacao nib and raisin. Simple, bittersweet acidity; syrupy, though rather inert, mouthfeel. Flavor smooths out a bit in the finish, with a little more cacao and raisin and a little less raw nut and wood.