Blind Assessment

Richly earthy, deeply spice-toned. Graphite, pink peppercorn, guava, fresh-cut cedar, lemon verbena in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet-savory with gently bright acidity; very full, satiny mouthfeel. Pleasing savory-leaning finish centered around graphite and pink peppercorn with undertones of sweet-tart guava.

Notes

This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 17 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2023. Produced by 200 widows with support and training from husband-wife team Kardon and Yulinda, from trees of the Andungsari, LiniS795 and Sigararutang varieties of Arabica. Coffees like this one from the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra are valued for their complex earth and fruit notes that appear to result largely from unorthodox fruit removal and drying practices called “wet-hulling.” Speckled Ax is a roaster based in Portland, Maine, specializing in high-quality certified organic and small-lot coffees. The company roasts in a vintage wood-fired Petroncini roaster with the goal of highlighting each coffee’s best attributes. Visit www.speckledax.com for more information.

Bottom Line

A classic Sumatra cup that highlights the origin’s potential for depth and complexity, with a distinct throughline that evokes fresh earth just after a rain.

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