Central America Reviews

Bittersweet, rich-toned. Date, grapefruit zest, hazelnut, cedar, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is framed by aromatic wood notes (cedar) with date and hazelnut undertones and a throughline of grapefruit zest.

High-toned, delicate, complex. Apricot, narcissus, maple syrup, sandalwood, tangerine zest in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Rich, resonant finish that consolidates to notes of apricot and sandalwood.

Crisply sweet-tart. Lemon verbena, cherry, oak, cocoa nob, honeysuckle in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with vibrant acidity; velvety mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of cherry and oak.

Deeply rich, equally sweet and savory. Brown sugar, hop flowers, toasted coconut, chestnut, sumac in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart-savory structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; viscous, satiny mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to coconut and chestnut with undertones of brown sugar.

Evaluated as espresso. Cocoa-toned, deeply sweet. Cocoa powder, date, cedar, apricot, blood orange zest in aroma and small cup. Big, creamy mouthfeel; the finish is redolent of cocoa and citrus zest. In cappucino-scaled milk, cocoa tones are amplified, as are notes of stone fruit and citrus.

Evaluated as espresso. Deep, rich, chocolaty. Dried apricot, dark chocolate, hazelnut, molasses, cedar in aroma and small cup. Satiny smooth mouthfeel; crisp, sweetly nut-toned finish. Chocolate leads in three parts milk, followed by notes of molasses and hazelnut.

A complex and overwhelming aromatic immersion. Pink bubblegum, winter spices, salted fudge, candied ginger, elderflower, herbal liqueur (yellow chartreuse?) in aroma and cup. The structure is dramatic: basic tastes are all disconcertingly intense, including sweet, salt and savory, yet they all somehow layer and satisfy. Very full and syrupy mouthfeel with a spicy drying edge. The finish is resonant, slightly bittersweet though chocolaty and rich.

Richly sweet-savory. Passionfruit, dark chocolate, hop flowers, almond butter, wine barrel in aroma and cup. Deep sweet-savory structure with wine-like acidity; very full, syrupy mouthfeel. Crisp, richly fruit-toned finish with a throughline of dark chocolate.

Crisply sweet-tart, high-toned. Mandarin orange, candied violet, hazelnut, baker’s chocolate, fresh-cut fir in aroma and cup. Tart-leaning structure with brisk acidity; satiny mouthfeel. The quiet finish centered around notes of baker’s chocolate, almond and orange.

Deeply sweet, elegantly fruit-forward. Raw honey, blackberry, sandalwood, lilac, baker's chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gentle, rounded acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around blackberry and sandalwood notes, with honey as a long throughline.

Evaluated as an instant or soluble coffee at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Richly sweet, fruit-toned. Strawberry, honey, cedar, hibiscus, hazelnut in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with tart-leaning acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The crisp finish centers around strawberry and hazelnut notes.

Spice-toned, complex, richly bittersweet. Blackberry, dark chocolate, blood orange zest, ginger blossom, oak in aroma and cup. Bittersweet in structure with bright, high-toned acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish is redolent with notes of cocoa-toned blackberry and spicy ginger blossom.

Crisply sweet-savory. Toffee, black cherry, rosewood, walnut, violet-like flowers in aroma and cup. Richly bittersweet structure with juicy acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The crisp finish consolidates to notes of black cherry and walnut.

Wild, unruly, utterly brilliant and original. Intensely and intricately floral-toned: opulent lily through delicate violet with a shifting bouquet of possibilities between. At the heart of aroma and flavor is a cidery, brandyish compote of fruit--apple, passion fruit, lychee--rounded by a fine, cocoa-toned chocolate. The structure is shifty, simultaneously sweet, crisply bitterish and tart, the mouthfeel plump and syrupy. The finish rings on with continuing layers of fruit, flowers, cocoa and coconut.

Richly sweet, spice-toned. Cocoa powder, cinnamon, oak, lily, lemongrass in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish centers on cocoa and lily-like flowers with a hint of lemongrass.

Deeply sweet, rich-toned. Apricot, baker’s chocolate, honeysuckle, oak, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet in structure with brisk acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to apricot and baker’s chocolate, with hints of honeysuckle.

Fruit-forward, crisply sweet. Peach, grapefruit zest, hazelnut, molasses, oak in aroma and cup. Savory-sweet structure with round, gentle acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of peach, grapefruit zest and oak.

Cleanly fruit-toned, delicately rich. Rum cordial, orange zest, coconut, plum, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with gentle, round acidity; plump, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The inviting finish leads with coconut and plum in the short, with notes of cedar and rum cordial returning in the long.

Elegantly rich, decadently fruit-toned. Dark chocolate, raspberry liqueur, frankincense, freesia-like flowers, almond brittle in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet in structure with vibrant acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant finish is long and saturated with all of the flavors and aromas of the cup.

Crisply floral and sweetly herb-toned. Dark chocolate, lavender, dried pear, tangerine zest, frankincense in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart in structure with lively, expansive acidity; crisp, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to pretty notes of lavender and dark chocolate, with a hint of tangerine zest.