Espresso Reviews

Evaluated as espresso. Cherry and chocolate dominate in the small cup and linger deeply into the finish, with layered complications of flowers, aromatic wood and anise. In two parts milk the chocolate becomes deeper and the fruit slightly less nuanced, but overall flavor remains sweet, round and balanced.

Evaluated as espresso. A complex small cup layered with notes of maple syrup, fir, toasted nut and dried fruit, apricot perhaps. Medium-bodied, but with deep, sustained flavor that carries sweetly into the finish. Flavor becomes even more nuanced in two parts milk: richly sweet caramel supports pungent fruit and aromatic wood notes.

Evaluated as espresso. Intense cedary, fruit-toned wood in the aroma; some acidity in the cup, with chewy, raisiny fruit notes leaning toward dark chocolate. A hint of flowers at the top. Strong presence in two parts milk: full mouthfeel, bittersweet chocolate, with the aromatic wood nuance rounding toward nut.

Evaluated as espresso. Smooth, quietly complex. Lemon and flowers in the aroma, with deepening notes of aromatic wood and chocolate in the small cup. Full, syrupy body. Very long, rich finish saturated with chocolate and flowers. Sweetens nicely in milk but simplifies a bit, though the lemony chocolate rings on, particularly in the finish.

Evaluated as espresso. For both Ken (93) and co-taster Andy Newbom (93) softly complex fruit, floral and citrus were the main themes here, with the most distinctive nuance the sweet, rich character of the citrus. Andy described it in multiple ways, from "citrus jelly" to "chiffony and meringuey" in the small cup to "lemon curd" in four parts milk. Ken also cited a backgrounded crisp cocoa that supported the pervasive lemony richness. Probably best as a straight shot, but successfully imposed its citrusy elegance on tall milk.

A big winner in four parts milk. Co-taster Andy Newbom (90) had it at 9 in milk while Ken (93) went to the limit at 10. Both keyed on a big, round, peachy fruit complexity and fine balance of milk and coffee. As straight espresso dominated by fruit as well: ripe, apricot-toned, a little wine-like, with a tart "sparkle" (Andy) of citrus. But the whole sensory package bloomed in milk with particular power and completeness.

Evaluated as espresso. In the small cup impressively deep and complex. Co-taster Andy Newbom (92) cited the range and balance of sensation ("intense yet nuanced"; "awesome"); Ken (92) was more specific in his praise of a pungent, slightly savory fruit: "black currant, blackberry, aromatic wood, licorice." Maintains complexity in four parts milk: "chocolaty... completely malty" (Andy), "crisp, butterscotch and caramel" (Ken).

Evaluated as espresso. Co-taster Andy Newbom (92) simply called the deeply floral aroma of the straight shot "glorious". Both Andy and Ken (92) also admired its "smooth and sweetly syrupy" (Andy) mouthfeel. And Andy, always ready with an adjective, piles on at least ten, all good ones, on the flavor. Ken stuck with an approving "minty, cherryish fruit." Ken (9) was more enthusiastic than Andy (8) regarding this complex blend's performance in four parts milk; for him it maintained a "delicate, tartly fruity-toned chocolate," whereas Andy felt the presence faded a bit in milk: "hints of sweet citrus cream and … cocoa prevailed, but barely."

Evaluated as espresso. Crisp cocoa and pungent fruit dominate in the small cup with impressive vanilla and floral top notes nuancing the aroma. Medium body, smoothly syrupy mouthfeel. Co-taster Andy Newbom (91) particularly admired a "complete and elegant" structure that balances sweet with a pungent hint of savory. The savory drops away in milk where both Ken (91) and Andy found impressive chocolaty sweetness ("Cocoa pops!" Andy exclaimed) deepened by a rich, fig-like fruit.

Evaluated as espresso. Co-taster Andy Newbom (91) and Ken (91) in particular admired the mouthfeel of the straight shot: "big in the mouth ... viscous but not heavy" in Andy's words. In flavor licoricy and spicy, slightly sharp, rounded by prune and berry notes. In four parts milk the flavor plumped up and rounded beautifully toward a complex chocolate, in Andy's words "chocolate ... nuts and candied apple."

Evaluated as espresso. Rich, fruit-toned aroma. Brightly fruity in flavor with an undercurrent of licorice and aromatic wood. Slightly lean in mouthfeel. Smoothes out in a long, sweetly rich finish. "Improved in milk," according to co-taster Andy Newbom (88), who reported the fruit rounded and deepened toward cherry and plum. Ken (89) agreed, finding hints of flowers and chocolate as well.

Evaluated as espresso. Delicately rich aroma, medium body but slightly leanish mouthfeel. Co-cupper Andy Newbom (88) found the flavor in the small cup a bit sweeter-toned ("fruit and chocolate") than Ken (89), who described a "crisp aromatic wood, walnut and licorice". But both felt the cup smoothed and softened in a pleasing, fruit-toned finish. In four parts milk displayed an attractive and rather distinctive dried fruit and chocolate character: "sweet chocolate, prunes and carob" in Andy’s words.

Evaluated as espresso. Particularly impressive aroma: sweet-toned and delicate: "flowers, orangy chocolate" (Ken, 89). Smooth, buttery mouthfeel. In flavor, lively but rather "tangy and sharp" (co-cupper Andy Newbom, 88); a little too much unripe lemon and licorice sensation perhaps. Chocolaty but simple in milk.

Evaluated as espresso. A solid, balanced blend with flowers, chocolate, and a hint of savory spice and aromatic wood. In co-taster Andy Newbom's (88) more colorful words: "sweet, fruity, caramel, spicy, balanced and soft, warm nuts and cocoa with a touch of fruit." That makes it sound a bit more than solid (Ken had it at 88 also), but a rather muted aroma and heavy finish dragged on its rating. In four parts milk, however, it held up with admirable consistency: tart chocolate, nut, and a continuing hint of flowers.

Resonant, big-bodied, aromatically complex espresso. Dark chocolate, aromatic wood, and a lush, brandy-toned fruit in both aroma and small cup. The flavor softens in two parts milk, with the chocolate taking on a minty sweetness, but still maintains grown-up power and complexity.

Sampled as an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. In both aroma and flavor roasted nut, aromatic wood and milk chocolate with hints of flowers, fruit and honey. Full body with a lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is rich and sweet in the short but heavy in the long. In two parts milk deeply bittersweet with continued chocolate and aromatic wood notes.

Evaluated as espresso. Suggestions of flowers, aromatic wood and a vanilla-infused dark chocolate in the aroma. In the small cup medium body and deeper flavors leaning toward black cherry and molasses. Sustains character in two parts milk: aromatic wood, dark chocolate, even a hint of flowers and vanilla.

Evaluated as espresso. Aromatically rich: molasses, nut and caramel with delicate notes of orange and apricot. In the small cup, smooth body and rounded flavors of sweet nut, dark chocolate and prune with a continued orangy hint. The nut character dominates in the finish, turning slightly astringent and walnut-like. Flavors deepen but maintain character in two parts milk: orange-toned milk chocolate dominates with continued complications of nut, caramel and prune-like fruit.

Evaluated as espresso. High-toned aroma combining flowers and very ripe orange with a distant hint of fresh-cut grass. In the small cup smooth, lightly syrupy mouthfeel and a complex range of flavors that maintain the floral and ripe citrus theme with complications of black cherry and sweet nut. The flavors carry into a sweet short finish and linger delicately in the long. The flavor complex carries intact into two parts milk cushioned by a rich, caramel-like sweetness.

Evaluated as espresso. A complete, big-bodied straight shot. Caramel, toast, flowers and orange in the aroma. All carry into a cup further complicated with deeper suggestions of brandy and chocolate. Flavors linger in the finish, developing solid sweetness in the long. Flavor notes consolidate nicely in two parts milk: turning even sweeter but maintaining complexity.