Blind Assessment

Fermented fruit contributes to a glorious aroma dominated by a sort of dry, nutty chocolate. In the cup very sweet and floral but also quite astringent, netting a wildly ambiguous profile with intriguing fruit notes too astringent to call chocolate and too explosively fermented to call winy. Unorthodox palates might assign high ratings to this unusual coffee, while purists surely would choke and dismiss it. We compromised at 85 - buyers beware.

Notes

This unusual coffee, with its tiny, split-pea-like beans, is produced by a variety of Arabica (variously spelled Mokka, Moka, Moca) derived via Brazil from very old varieties still grown in parts of Yemen. Furthermore, it appears to have been processed using very ancient methods as well - dried inside the fruit (dry-processed), rather than after the fruit residue has been removed (wet process). Unfortunately, with this sample the fruit appears to have fermented heavily during drying, contributing a fermented fruit character that some will find attractive and others distasteful. Produced on the newly launched Maui Grown Coffee farm, a slimmed-down revival of the older, larger Kaanapali Coffee estate. The revived Maui Grown coffees should improve as things smooth out a bit at the mill. The Supreme Bean is a Los Angeles-area wholesale roaster specializing in high-end roasted-to-order espresso blends and single origins. Visit www.thesupremebean.com or call 888-288-5282 for more information.

Who Should Drink It

Those for whom adventure counts more than comfort.

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