Blend Reviews

Richly sweet, cocoa- and spice-toned. Dark chocolate, gently scorched sandalwood, orange zest, cinnamon, gardenia in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with mild, rounded acidity; satiny mouthfeel. Spice-toned and chocolaty in the finish.

Sweetly roast-toned, chocolaty. Baker’s chocolate, gently scorched cedar, almond, raisin, molasses in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned in structure with gentle acidity; creamy-smooth mouthfeel. The lingering finish leads with notes of raisin and almond in the short, with rich cedar tones in the long and chocolate throughout.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly sweet, chocolate-toned. Magnolia, chocolate fudge, hazelnut, gently scorched cedar, banana in aroma and small cup. Velvety mouthfeel; cocoa-toned, floral finish. Both flowers and cocoa carry expressively into cappuccino-scaled milk.

Evaluated as espresso. Luminous, complexly layered, impossibly rich. Caramelized pineapple, tamarind, star jasmine, chocolate fudge, myrrh in aroma and small cup. Creamy, vivacious mouthfeel; long, flavor-saturated finish. Close to otherworldly in three parts milk: All the notes from the cup harmonize, and new notes surface: suggestions of lychee, pink grapefruit zest, marjoram.

Crisp, richly sweet. Baker’s chocolate, mango, fresh humus, maple syrup, narcissus-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet in structure with round, gentle acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Notes of cocoa-toned mango lead the short finish, with fresh humus in the long.

Evaluated as espresso. High-toned, richly sweet. Narcissus, dark chocolate, dried apricot, roasted hazelnut, pink grapefruit zest in aroma and small cup. Crisp, lively mouthfeel; resonant finish that consolidates to pink grapefruit zest and narcissus. In cappuccino-scaled milk, dark chocolate blooms in harmony with deep florals and hints of dried stone fruit.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly roast-toned, chocolaty. Magnolia-like flowers, dark chocolate, gently scorched cedar, dried raspberry, roasted pistachio in aroma and small cup. Fully, syrupy mouthfeel; chocolate-toned finish with pleasing floral and nut tones. In three parts milk, dark chocolate is further foregrounded, along with crisply sweet nut tones.

Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Caramelly, cocoa-toned. Fresh fir, cocoa, salted caramel, roasted hazelnut, a hint of lily-like flowers in aroma and cup. Structure is sweet yet brisk, with a salty edge. Lean but smooth in mouthfeel. Flowers and cocoa in the short finish, fading to salty wood in the long.

Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Not attractive. Rotten suggestions (composted orange, lily) and acrid wood dominate, along with a metallic note. On the positive side, hints of prune, salty caramel, cardamom. Bittersweet and acrid in structure; lean but smooth in mouthfeel. Continued bitter and acrid in the finish.

Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Flat, salty, expressionless. Salted graham cracker, a faint vegetal note in aroma and cup. Sweet-salty-acrid in structure. Flat, lifeless mouthfeel. Rounds and sweetens just a bit in the finish.

Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Richly roasty, smoky. Molasses, scorched hazelnut, scorched cedar, cocoa, anise in aroma and cup. Bittersweet and savory-edged in structure; the mouthfeel is light though pleasantly syrupy. The finish is smoky wood all the way, with a saving hint of cocoa.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly and deeply tart, floral and chocolaty. Passion fruit, dark chocolate, cedar, lilac, myrrh in aroma and small cup. Syrupy though rather dry in the mouthfeel; richly tart in the finish. Remains bright in three parts milk: chocolate, cedar and flowers.

Evaluated as espresso. Vibrant and engaging; richly sweet-tart. Pomegranate, dark chocolate, blood orange zest, narcissus, sandalwood in aroma and small cup. Plush, syrupy mouthfeel; crisp, resonant finish. In three parts milk, both chocolate and floral tones bloom, supported by hints of spicy citrus zest and aromatic wood notes.

Evaluated as espresso. Deeply sweet, richly tart. Lilac, cocoa powder, watermelon candy, grapefruit zest, cedar in aroma and small cup. Crisp, velvety mouthfeel; resonant, long finish that opens with watermelon and concludes with pink grapefruit zest, with cocoa and lilac ranged between. In three parts milk, nicely balanced cocoa and floral tones.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly sweet, floral-toned. Magnolia, baker’s chocolate, salted cashew, marjoram, black cherry in aroma and small cup. Crisp yet velvety mouthfeel; dry, sweetly savory (herbaceous) finish. In three parts milk, bittersweet cocoa tones predominate, supported by ripe black cherry and salted cashew.

Evaluated as espresso. Intricate, layered, richly sweet. Narcissus, dark chocolate, singed cedar, black truffle, ripe papaya in aroma and small cup. Lively, syrupy body. Floral, sweet-savory finish, with notes of dark chocolate throughout, supported by narcissus and black truffle. In three parts milk, the chocolate and floral notes are both rounded and enlivened.

Evaluated as espresso. Floral-toned, deeply sweet. Lilac, toffee, black cherry, cedar, orange zest in aroma and small cup. Crisp, satiny mouthfeel; gently drying finish carried by notes of toffee and lilac in the short, orange zest and cedar in the long. Especially floral-driven in cappucino-scaled milk, with the rich toffee notes also amplified.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly sweet, chocolate-toned. Chocolate fudge, magnolia, almond brittle, tangerine zest, cedar in aroma and small cup. Crisp, satiny mouthfeel; wood-framed, floral-toned finish. In three parts milk, notes of chocolate fudge resonate and linger, along with sweet magnolia-like flowers and hints of cedar.

Evaluated as espresso. Rich, fruit-toned, balanced. Baker’s chocolate, pomegranate, gardenia, grapefruit zest, fresh-cut fir in aroma and small cup. Lean, smooth mouthfeel; gently drying, cocoa-toned finish, with hints of grapefruit zest. In cappuccino-scaled milk, baker’s chocolate is center stage, supported by notes of sweet-tart fruit.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly sweet, brightly tart. Dark chocolate, lily-like flowers, blood orange zest, peach, cedar in aroma and small cup. Punchy, syrupy mouthfeel; crisp, cocoa-toned finish with lasting notes of citrus zest. In three-parts milk, the sweet-tartness of the shot carries through, bringing dark chocolate along for the ride.