Africa Reviews

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.

A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Juicy, tart-leaning, sweetly savory. Pie cherry, cocoa nib, freesia-like flowers, hazelnut toffee, myrrh. Sweet-savory structure with vibrant acidity; delicate, crisp mouthfeel. The savory-sweet theme continues into the finish with undertones of freesia and myrrh.

A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Rhubarb, Pinot Noir grape, cocoa nib, honeysuckle, sandalwood. Sweet-tart-savory structure with big, juicy acidity; viscous, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of rhubarb and cocoa nib with sandalwood undertones.

A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Rich, floral-toned, intricate and complex. Notes of wisteria, Keemun black tea, cocoa nib, Meyer lemon, frankincense. Crisp, tart-leaning structure with sweet undertones and juicy acidity; refreshing, velvety mouthfeel. Satisfying, lingering finish with notes of black tea and lemon. Stands up to milk with continued tartness and amplification of the cocoa note.

A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Chocolaty-rich, deep-toned. Dark chocolate, candied walnut, pear, baking spices, cedar. Sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Resonant chocolate-toned finish with undertones of candied walnut and cedar. Milk makes the chocolate notes lift off in this developed roast profile.

A ready-to-drink black coffee, tested cold. Deeply sweet, caramel-toned. Dark caramel, vanilla bean, date, magnolia, fresh-cut oak. Richly sweet in structure with lively acidity; lightly velvety mouthfeel. Consolidates to dark caramel and vanilla bean in the finish. Milk gives this cold coffee a dessert-like quality.

Richly sweet-savory, complex, nuanced. Butterscotch, hop flowers, sandalwood, dried apricot, candycap mushroom in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with gentle, round acidity; very full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates around notes of sandalwood and hop flowers with apricot undertones.

Delicate, deep, vibrantly sweet-tart. Lilac, dried apricot, cocoa nib, lemon verbena, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with lively, bright acidity; plush, viscous mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of apricot and cocoa nib.

Deep-toned, fruit-centered, richly aromatic. Dark chocolate, black cherry, star jasmine, oak, almond brittle in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with crisp, lively acidity; plush, viscous mouthfeel. Finish centers around dark chocolate and black cherry.

Fruit-toned, sweetly tart. Ripe raspberry, lemon zest, dark chocolate, cedar, magnolia in aroma and cup. Tart-leaning structure with juicy acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish leads with raspberry and citrus notes in the short, modulating to dark chocolate and cedar in the long.

Evaluated as espresso. Expressive, confident, lyrical. Lychee, dark chocolate, star jasmine, sandalwood, Meyer lemon in aroma and small cup. Lively, creamy mouthfeel; balanced, floral- and fruit-toned finish. In three parts milk, a liquid dessert: think fine chocolate and tropical fruit.

Deeply sweet, fruit-forward. Grape candy, dark chocolate, grappa barrel, fresh-cut fir, gardenia in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with gentle acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Crisp, dry, chocolaty finish with notes of sweet grape wafting up in the long, as well as sweet alcohol ferment.

Pungent, sweetly tart. Dark chocolate, black currant, lemon blossom, molasses, oak in aroma and cup. Vibrantly sweet-tart in structure; full, velvety mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates to notes of black currant in the finish.

Delicately sweet, high-toned, citrusy. Key lime, cocoa nib, strawberry, freesia-like flowers, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; lush, creamy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to sweet fruit notes (berries and citrus) and cocoa nib.

Sweetly and roundly bright, high-toned, floral. Star jasmine, tangerine zest, red currant, elm, a hint of coriander in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; crisp yet buoyant, syrupy mouthfeel. The richly flavor-saturated finish carries all the notes of the cup straight through into the long, particularly jasmine and red currant.

Richly sweet, floral-toned. Candied violet, almond nougat, maple syrup, date, cocoa nib in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gentle, round acidity; viscous, satiny mouthfeel. Resonant floral- and cocoa-laden finish.

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.

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.

Paradoxically savory-deep and levitatingly bright. Passion fruit, myrrh, ginseng, wisteria, candycap mushroom in aroma and cup. Balanced sweet-tart-savory structure with lively, engaging acidity. Viscous, almost creamy mouthfeel. Very long, very flavor-saturated, harmonious finish.

Crisply sweet, floral- and fruit-toned. Peach, narcissus, almond butter, nougat, cedar in aroma and cup. In structure sweetly and gently tart, with a balanced and roundly bright acidity. Satiny, lively mouthfeel. Peach and flowers linger in the finish.