Top 30 Coffees of 2020
We are pleased to present our list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2020.
Our editors ranked this year’s most exciting coffees from the thousands we cupped over the course of the past 12 months. We rank these 30 coffees and espressos based on quality (represented by overall rating); value (reflected by most affordable price per pound); and other factors that include distinctiveness of style, uniqueness of origin, tree variety, processing method, certification, and general rarity.
Graceful, polished, exquisitely floral. Lavender, vanilla bean, bergamot, cocoa nib, lychee in aroma and cup. Delicate, vivid, multi-layered structure with elegantly sweet-tart acidity; very silky, buoyant mouthfeel. Elongated, richly floral, complex finish.
Price: $29.95/4 ounces
Aromatically tropical, deeply floral, mysteriously complex. Plumeria, amber, passion fruit, Concord grape, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Deep-toned, sweetly savory structure with winy acidity; decadently plush mouthfeel. The finish goes on and on.
Price: NT $400/8 ounces
Luminous, clear, confident, lively. Passion fruit, cocoa nib, lilac, almond butter, lemon drop in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with elegantly balanced, intense acidity; viscous, syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, flavor-saturated finish that carries all the aroma and flavor notes of the cup well into the long.
Subtly powerful, harmoniously integrated, complete. Pineapple, nectarine, complex florals, cocoa nib, roasted pine nut in aroma and cup. Stunningly bright and expressive structure with very balanced acidity. Silky, buoyant mouthfeel. A deep, very long finish retains the grace and complexity of the cup through to the end.
Delicately sweet-tart, richly and intricately aromatic, deep-toned. Dried hibiscus flowers, bergamot, frankincense, lychee, boysenberry in aroma and cup. Confidently sweet-tart structure with sparkling acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. The long, lingering flavor-saturated finish intoxicatingly blurs fruit and floral notes.
Chocolaty, richly sweet-tart, deep-toned. Chocolate fudge, passion fruit, sandalwood, lily, a hint of Cognac in aroma and cup. Sweetly and opulently tart with generous, bright acidity; lush, viscous mouthfeel. Sandalwood- and chocolate-toned finish with undertones of passionfruit into the long.
Evaluated as espresso. Berry- and flower-driven, intricately sweet-tart, wildly aromatic. Ripe raspberry, wisteria, toffee, sandalwood, dark chocolate in aroma and small cup. Viscous, syrupy mouthfeel; bright, berry-toned finish. In three parts milk, a lot like eating raspberry trifle laced with chocolate.
Very sweet, high-toned, richly floral. Star jasmine, lemon verbena, pineapple, cocoa nib, frankincense in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with juicy, levitating acidity; delicate but syrupy mouthfeel. Crisp, long, floral-toned finish.
Bright yet deep-toned, sweet-tart-savory, intensely floral. Mango, dark chocolate, hop flowers, lilac, wild honey in aroma and cup. Richly bittersweet structure with juicy-bright acidity; viscous, nectar-like mouthfeel. Flavor-saturated, chocolaty finish.
Richly aromatic, levitatingly high-toned. Lychee, passionfruit, dark chocolate, candied violet, sage in aroma and cup. Layered sweet-tart-savory structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around lychee, dark chocolate and sage.
Price: NT $900/8 ounces
Evaluated as espresso. Richly chocolaty and floral-toned. Chocolate fudge, narcissus, molasses, sandalwood, dried red currant in aroma and small cup. Creamy-smooth mouthfeel; resonant, flavor-saturated finish. Lyrically sweet in three parts milk, with deep-toned notes of chocolate fudge and narcissus into the long.
Deeply sweet, richly tart, harmoniously balanced. Dried mango, dark chocolate, brown sugar, oolong tea, tangerine zest in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with citrusy-bright acidity; full, round, syrupy mouthfeel. Lingeringly sweet, tropical fruit-driven finish.
Delicate, tropical, fruity and floral. Strawberry guava, bergamot, cocoa nib, sandalwood, plumeria in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. Resonant, flavor-saturated, very long finish.
Profoundly sweet, fruit-forward, candy-like. Clementine orange, Jolly Rancher, milk chocolate, cane sugar, narcissus in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; viscous, honey-like mouthfeel. The prolonged finish evokes cotton candy laced with milk chocolate.
Complex, richly tart, with compelling savory undertones. Dark chocolate, pomegranate yogurt, almond brittle, sandalwood, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Balanced structure with juicy, citrusy acidity; very full, syrupy mouthfeel. The flavor-laden finish carries over all the notes from the cup, dark chocolate and pomegranate in particular.
Price: $19.00/12 ounces
Overarchingly sweet, richly savory. Nectarine, sandalwood, marzipan, spearmint, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet structure with a tart, vibrant acidity; nectar-like mouthfeel. Rich-toned finish with marzipan notes lingering into the long.
Deep, intense, sweet-savory, utterly coherent. Intense lavender, black currant, mandarin orange, sandalwood, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweet, tart, savory-bottomed structure with intense, balanced acidity; big, mouth-filling body. The flavor-saturated finish carries over every nuance from the cup.
Intensely fruit- and spice-toned. Lychee, hibiscus flowers, cocoa nib, lemon verbena, a hint of cumin in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with gently lively acidity; syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The fresh, crisp finish centers around lychee, hibiscus and cocoa nib.
Price: $85.00/6 ounces
Crisp, tangy, richly sweet-tart-savory. Vanilla yogurt, guava, dark chocolate, sassafras, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart with savory undertones and tangy acidity; very full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant flavor-saturated finish carries forward all of the notes from the cup.
High-toned, richly sweet-tart. Pie cherry, dark chocolate, almond butter, violet, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with juicy, fruit-toned acidity; saturatingly viscous, plush mouthfeel. The confident finish centers around notes of pie cherry, dark chocolate and cedar.
A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Notes of peach, pomegranate, a whiff of rum barrel, cocoa powder, jasmine. Sweet-tart structure with high-toned acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. The acidy brightness fades in the finish, leaving pretty fruit notes (peach, pomegranate) with hints of vaguely fermenty sweetness we associated with rum barrel. In milk, fruit recedes and cocoa powder comes to the fore.
Crisp, gently fruit-toned. Raspberry jam, baking chocolate, magnolia, almond, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with round acidity; velvety-smooth mouthfeel. Quiet, chocolaty and nut-driven finish.
Richly aromatic, sweetly earthy, complex. Baking spices, mulberry, caramel, moist earth, rhododendron in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with bright, juicy acidity; viscous, creamy mouthfeel. The resonant finish is characterized by vanilla-toned mulberry with hints of fresh earth.
Rich-toned, fruit-forward, sweetly fermenty. Ripe blueberry, dark chocolate, Bourbon barrel, gardenia, molasses in aroma and cup. Sweet in structure with winy acidity; full, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, flavor-saturated finish.
Price: $21.00/12 ounces
Very sweet, high-toned, with savory underpinnings. Tangerine zest, cocoa nib, Bing cherry, amber, almond butter in aroma and cup. Tart-leaning but integrated structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; full, viscous mouthfeel. The finish is animated by notes of Bing cherry and amber.
Deep-toned, sweet-savory. Nectarine, narcissus, hop flowers, sandalwood, honey in aroma and cup. Richly sweet structure with gentle, round but engaging acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The richly bittersweet finish centers on honey and hop flowers in the short with nectarine returning in the long.
Price: $16.95/12 ounces
Fruit- and herb-toned. Lemon thyme, strawberry, dark chocolate, hazelnut, a hint of rum barrel in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with fruit-driven acidity; creamy-smooth mouthfeel. The quiet finish centers around notes of lemon thyme, strawberry and rum barrel.
Price: $18.00/12 ounces
Deeply and roundly roast-toned. Dark chocolate, singed cedar, raisin, almond, magnolia in aroma and cup. Sweetly savory with gentle, round acidity; crisp, velvety mouthfeel. Chocolate and raisin lead the way in the quiet finish.
Deeply rich, sweetly spice-toned. Cinnamon, nutmeg, pear, honey, lavender in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with lively, juicy acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. The finish is spice-toned and rich.
Chocolaty and stone fruit-driven. Apricot, milk chocolate, narcissus, maple syrup, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with mild acidity; full, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of milk chocolate and cedar with hints of apricot.
