Tree Variety Reviews

Sweetly spice-toned, crisply nutty. Cashew butter, nutmeg, caramel, orange zest, hint of mace in aroma and cup. Gentle, round acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. Quiet nut-driven finish with undertones of orange zest.

Sweetly spice-toned, complex and satiatingly fruity. Black cherry kombucha, clove, pipe tobacco, molasses in aroma and cup. Lively, sparkling acidity; creamy, lithe mouthfeel. Incredibly long, harmonious, integrated finish.

High-toned, tropical, exquisitely balanced. Orange blossom, cocoa nib, guava, young ginger, cedar in aroma and cup. Juicy-bright yet delicate acidity; silky-smooth mouthfeel. Long, resonant finish that fulfills the promise of the cup.

Gently tart, delicately high-toned. Meyer lemon zest, cocoa nib, narcissus, agave syrup, fresh-cut oak in aroma and cup. Balanced, malic (apple-like) acidity; very full, syrupy mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to notes of sweet citrus and cocoa nib.

Complex, richly nuanced. Narcissus, cocoa nib, pear, wild honey, amber in aroma and cup. Invigorating, malic acidity; full, syrupy-smooth mouthfeel. Very long-lasting, floral-toned, richly sweet finish.

Juicy-bright, sweetly tart. Red plum, tamarind, almond, tangerine zest, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Citrusy, high-toned acidity; very full, satiny-smooth mouthfeel. Tangerine zest and agave syrup lead in the resonant finish.

Richly sweet-savory, citrusy. Cocoa nib, hop flowers, almond, magnolia, key lime in aroma and cup. Crisp, citric acidity; viscous, satiny mouthfeel. Magnolia and cocoa nib are front and center in the gentle finish.

Sweet, tart, distinctly spice-toned. Guava, shishito peppers, basil, rhododendron, cedar in aroma and cup. Savory-leaning acidity; very smooth, syrupy mouthfeel. Crisp, spice-toned finish with floral undertones.

Evaluated as espresso. Savory-sweet with a tart edge. Delicate chocolate and lemon, apricot, fir, savory-edged blackberry in aroma and small cup. In mouthfeel, full though rather dense in texture. Clean, rich, simple finish. In three-parts milk, straightforward, chocolate-toned.

Elegantly fruit-forward, richly aromatic. Strawberry guava, lychee, cocoa nib, amber, ginger blossom in aroma and cup. Brightly sweet, gently tart, balanced acidity; vibrant, silky-smooth mouthfeel. Harmonious, resonant, coherent finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly savory-sweet. Candycap mushroom, roasted cashew, kiwi, amber, baking chocolate in aroma and small cup. Crisp, satiny mouthfeel; umami-driven finish with notes of candycap mushroom and amber. In cappuccino format, chocolate notes assume center stage, supported by kiwi and cashew.

Richly sweet, spice-toned. Cashew butter, pomelo, black sage, green apple, fine musk in aroma and cup. Briskly sweet acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Exceptionally harmonious, integrated finish.

Balanced, sweetly nutty, gently tart. Pomegranate, hazelnut, baking chocolate, cedar, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Briskly sweet acidity; very full, syrupy mouthfeel. Quiet finish settles into notes of baking chocolate and pomegranate.

Multi-layered, richly sweet. Black cherry, baking chocolate, magnolia, pink grapefruit zest, oak in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart with brisk acidity; syrupy-smooth, vibrant mouthfeel. Pink grapefruit and baking chocolate in the finish.

Multi-layered, richly complex. Pomegranate, dried pineapple, cocoa nib, marjoram, wisteria in aroma and cup. Briskly sweet, fruity acidity; full, creamy-smooth mouthfeel. Long, resonant, flavor-laden finish.

Deeply chocolaty, floral-toned. Dark chocolate, lilac, hazelnut butter, apricot, tangerine in aroma and cup. Balanced, bright acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish leads with notes of lilac and dark chocolate.

Delicately sweet-savory. Date, hop flowers, agave syrup, tamarind, fresh-cut fir in aroma and cup. Briskly sweet-savory acidity; velvety-smooth mouthfeel. Finish centers around notes of date and tamarind with undertones of fir.

Evaluated as espresso. Co-taster John DiRuocco and Ken both found a sweetly tangy intrigue animating this plush, satiny bodied espresso, and rewarded it with 95s. Ken called it rich pistachio; John favored musky, mango-like tropical fruit. For both tasters, the pistachio/mango notes impressively sweetened and moved forward in three parts milk.

Evaluated as espresso. This was Ken’s favorite in the tasting; he had it at 96 with a 10 for aroma. Co-taster John DiRuocco was a bit less enthusiastic at 94. The difference may have been their reading of the striking floral herb notes. Ken experienced them as exhilarating sweet lavender while John read them as a pleasant but drier eucalyptus. But both overall admired this sweetly citrusy, walnut-toned, brightly chocolaty espresso whose character resonates through the finish and retains character impressively in three parts milk.

Evaluated as espresso. Resonant, layered berry (blueberry, raspberry), vanilla-toned flowers, papaya, a hint of cinnamon jostle in aroma and in the cup, where aromatics are suspended in a layered structure of complex bitter, sweet, tart and savory tastes. Ken (94) liked this velvety, viscous espresso a bit better than co-taster John DiRuocco (93). The complexity consolidates a bit in three parts milk, where flavor settles in with quiet certainty around a pronounced chocolate.