Central America Reviews

Deep-toned, rose-like floral notes dominate aroma, cup and finish, with fresh-cut fir, nectarine-like fruit and ripe lemon complications. Intense, sweetly tart acidity; silky mouthfeel; long, rich finish.

A deep, rich, intense acidity dominates the profile. Complex lemon-and-orange citrus, fresh-cut fir, ripe tomato in aroma and cup. Impressively rich, syrupy mouthfeel. Clean, dry finish.

Sweet-toned, round, deep. Roasted nut, grapy fruit, dark chocolate, a brightening hint of lemon. Soft, muted acidity; syrupy mouthfeel; smooth finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Complex, crisply sweet aroma deepens and turns bittersweet in the small cup: dark chocolate, pungent, mango-like fruit, orange, smoothing again in a resonant, flavor-saturated finish. Medium body, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor simplifies and fades a bit in milk, though the dark chocolate and tropical fruit character persist.

Very sweet, ripe lemon, rich cocoa, backgrounded lush flowers in aroma and cup. Vivacious acidity and a mouthfeel almost effervescent in its buoyancy and liveliness. Sweet, deep, flavor-saturated finish.

Intense but rather simple aroma: faint suggestions of dusk flowers, fir, blackberry. Sweetly tart acidity; silky mouthfeel. In the cup aromatics lift and open: lemon, dusk flowers, hints of white wine and fresh pipe tobacco. Sweet, slightly astringent finish with good flavor persistence, particularly flowers.

Quietly balanced, sweetly tart: flowers and orangy citrus, a hint of cedar carry from aroma to cup. Round, soft acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel; the tart sweetness extends into a long finish.

Aromatics expand and deepen in subtle but extraordinary flavor and finish: buttery milk chocolate; sweet, lily-like flowers; ripe orange, all resonating in a long, impeccably clean but rich finish. Round, vibrant acidity; syrupy mouthfeel.

A richly balanced cup. Notes of sweet orange and floral-toned herb (coriander?) in the aroma. Softly bright acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. In the cup flavor leans toward black cherry and grapy dessert wine. Richness carries deep into the finish, as does flavor.

Elegant, sweet-toned, balanced. Buttery dark chocolate, flowers, crisp hints of nut and orange. Well-integrated acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel, cleanly rich finish.

Deep, rich and pungent in aroma and cup. Roundly sweet with flavors that layer dried berries, apricot and spicy tea rose atop dark chocolate. Flavors penetrate deep into a long, resonant finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweet-toned and round. Caramelly sweetness softens toasty citrus tones and fleeting hints of lavender and carob in the small cup. Flavors linger delicately and cleanly in the finish. The sweetness theme persists in two parts milk: subdued layers of lemon, flowers and more carob.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweet aromatic notes of raisin, chocolate and soft citrus. Full flavored in the small cup, with bittersweet fruit-infused chocolate hinting at grape, berry and orange, all of which persist deeply into the finish. Flavors predictably simplify in two parts milk but remain pleasing: sweet-toned fruit with a distinct minty complication.

Rich and sweet, combining notes of citrus, stone fruit, honey and flowers. In the cup a brisk tartness balances a lush, juicy character. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavors slowly fade in the finish to a slightly astringent tartness.

Symphonically fruit-toned and shimmeringly bright. An “underlying crushed grape sweetness” (co-cupper Wendy De Jong, 94) supported an array of lemon and berry suggestions. Ken (94) found deepening hints of fresh-cut fir and dark chocolate as well. Forward but accessible acidity, silky mouthfeel, sweetly tart finish.

Nut and molasses-like sweetness in the understated aroma. “Heavy and smooth” (co-cupper Wendy De Jong 89) to “lightly syrupy” (Ken 90) mouthfeel. Balanced acidity. Both Wendy and Ken found low-acid fruit leaning toward dark chocolate in cup and finish, though their associations varied, from Ken’s simple “cherryish fruit” to Wendy’s evocative “apricot … mulled wine and apples.” Both agreed that this coffee stayed on the rich side of astringency in the sweet, chocolate-toned finish.

Gently sweet in aroma and cup, highlighted by notes of honeyed orange, flowers and a suggestion of nut. Gently bright acidity, medium body and a silky mouthfeel. A simplified version of the fruit-floral complex lingers in the dry finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Bright and juicy. Flowers, ripe citrus and stone fruit in the small cup with caramel undertones. The fruit carries into a clean finish, with sugary sweetness developing in the long. Two parts milk amplifies the caramel character and rounds the persistent fruit and floral notes.

Balanced, complete coffee with a straightforward aromatic complex persisting from aroma through finish: peach, citrus, flowers, complimented by a delicately sweet chocolate. Rich acidity, syrupy body.

Sweet and intense – stone fruit and honey complimented by silky milk chocolate. Fruit- and floral-toned acidity, medium body and a deeper chocolate-like sensation in a finish marked by a touch of drying astringency.