LATEST REVIEWS

A full-bodied espresso with exotic aromatics. Floral and fruit tones throughout the profile, with pungent notes that read as herbal for co-taster Ted Lingle (90) and licorice-like and smoky for Ken (89). For Ken the full body and heavy mouthfeel seemed partly to stifle flavor in the small cup, but for both Ken and Ted this blend came into its own in milk, where it rounded and sweetened richly without losing power or nuance. Nominated by Kemp LaMunyon of Las Vegas.

A smoky, cedary espresso with a deep-toned fruit that in the small cup suggests semi-sweet chocolate or perhaps a rich port wine. Ken (90) and co-taster Ted Lingle (93) differed a bit on this blend's impact in milk: Ted found this blend mastered milk with an impressive sweetness and richness; for Ken the chocolate carried nicely into milk but the mouthfeel was a bit lean. Nominating reader Christopher Losa testified to his admiration for this blend in almost lurid terms: "rich, thick, and chocolaty...the way it syrups out of the portafilter is absolutely sexy...comparative to a California Zin or a Petit Syrah fruit bomb wine.'

Exceptionally complex espresso that maintains aromatic intrigue from aroma through a rather majestic finish in milk. Elegant aroma with deep-toned fruit and herb notes. In the small cup smooth in mouthfeel and medium-full in body, slightly sharp and acidy in structure but with a continued fruity complexity that reads persuasively as chocolate. Both co-cupper Ted Lingle (92) and Ken (90) were particularly impressed by this blend's performance in milk: lavishly fruity and chocolaty with a rich, clean finish. Blue Bottle's espressos were nominated by reader Christopher Losa.

A crisply classic espresso. Fresh leather and spice notes in the aroma. In the small cup the mouthfeel is a bit lean but the flavor complex: dry berry, wine, semi-sweet chocolate, cedar. The wine and berry notes persist in the long, clean finish. In milk perhaps a bit lean in mouthfeel, but the cedar and berry notes bloom sweetly. Ken's rating: 90. Co-taster Ted Lingle's: 93. Turns out this espresso was nominated by the roaster, Peggy Sue herself, but roasters are readers too.

An impressively sweet, smooth, deeply dimensioned, softly complex espresso. Co-cupper Ted Lingle (92) used the term "resonant" twice to describe flavor and finish in the small cup. Ken (90) was most impressed by the details: a fresh-cut cedar character that was pungent but sweet and round, and wine-toned fruit notes. Bloomed in milk with discreet balance and a rich chocolate. Reader Chris Horn nominated another of Supreme Bean's espresso blends, but we ended up reviewing this one instead (don't ask).

Both Ken and co-taster Ted Lingle remarked on the "lush but elegant" (Ken) aroma and fat, buttery body of this single-origin espresso. In the small cup, dry berry notes and semi-sweet chocolate. Blooms sweetly and richly in milk. Ken found the flavor in cup and milk a bit too simple, limiting his score to a 90, but for Ted the profile throughout was complete, classic, and worth a resounding 95. Nominating reader Teri Bolla clearly agrees with Ted: "incredibly balanced, round, extremely smooth, shows total finesse, abundant chocolate...thick and rich on the palate."

The aroma displays a fruit complicated by aromatic wood tones that co-cupper Rodger Owen associated with pine and Ken with cedar. The body is light, the mouthfeel bordering on thin, the flavor delicate and tartly sweet, with sustained aromatic wood notes. Both Ken and Rodger found the finish clean, simple and rather short.

Round, rich, rather simple coffee, with spicy (co-cupper Rodger Owen) and gingery (Ken) notes in the aroma. In the cup a soft, sweet acidity and buttery mouthfeel with a low-toned fruit that to Ken suggested prune and semi-sweet chocolate.

Muted aroma with notes that Ken called "quietly pungent" and co-cupper Rodger "smoky." Ken also found pleasantly floral top notes as well. In the cup substantial body and smooth mouthfeel; the pungent notes in the aroma reappear as nut (Rodger) or semi-sweet chocolate (Ken). Simple, sweet short finish, very slight astringency in the long.

In the aroma intense aromatic wood notes suggested cedar to Ken, pine to co-cupper Rodger Owen. The sweet spice and low-toned fruit notes fade in a roast-influenced, rather simple cup, balanced but limited. The sweet spice suggestions surfaced again in an admirably long, resonant finish.

Intense, rather acidy aroma with vanilla-toned chocolate and fruit notes. In the cup the acidity was either sweet and lushly lively (Ken) or a touch too soft (co-cupper Rodger Owen), the flavor a bit too simple (Rodger) or intriguing in its simultaneous sensory allusions to wine and chocolate (Ken).

Deep, rich, roasty aroma with considerable complexity: Ken and co-cupper Rodger Owen found flowers (especially), cloves, fresh cedar, caramel. Both found the cup medium-bodied and intensely and pungently bittersweet, with shimmers of flowers and a low-toned fruity character that suggested pipe tobacco to Rodger and a caramelly fruit to Ken. Ken's sample finished cleanly and richly, even with a hint of semi-sweet chocolate, but Rodger drastically reduced his final rating owing to what he described as metallic, rubbery end notes, perhaps a mild roasting fault.

Exceptional aroma: floral notes complicated by vanilla for co-cupper Rodger Owen and lemon and pineapple for Ken. In the cup brightly but sweetly acidy and delicately smooth in mouthfeel with a subtly balanced flavor that disappointed Rodger but excited Ken with its jasmine-like floral notes and (for Ken at least) a rich, chocolaty lemon.

Ken was somewhat more enthusiastic about this classic Central American profile than co-cupper Rodger Owen, but both found lots to write about. Both found the aroma round and sweet, complicated by wine notes for Rodger and pear and a hint of cedar for Ken. In the cup both described a sweet, quietly vibrant acidity and a coffee fruit that read as black currant or slightly tart cherry for Ken and sweet pipe tobacco for Rodger. The essential sweetness carried into the short finish, tempering the slight astringency in the long.

A simple, lyrically appealing coffee, alive with floral notes and a vivid little twist that Ken associated with spice and co-cupper Rodger Owen with cedar. Ken also cited cherry-toned fruit in the aroma that leaned toward a delicate chocolate in the cup. Fresh, cleanly sweet finish.

Superb aroma: For Ken giddily floral with blueberry and cherry notes, for co-cupper Rodger Owen "a beautiful burst of lemon." In the cup crisply bright, intensely floral, sweetly and quietly lemon, then (for Ken) rounding toward an orange-toned chocolate. Slight astringency in the short finish but the floral notes had the last, lingering word in the long.

Sweet, quite smoky aroma, with floral top notes and suggestions of temperate fruit, pear perhaps. In the cup low-toned, smoky, sweet but salty, with chocolate undertones and continued hints of pear. The smoky tones carry into the finish.

A coffee that displays the more pungent side of the Yirgacheffe profile. Distinct ginger-snap notes in the aroma with suggestions of rosemary and pine. Sweeter in the cup, dominated by lemon and ginger-snap. The pine and Mediterranean herb notes resurface in the long finish.

Delicate, rather subdued aroma: milk chocolate, caramel, the sweeter sort of grapefruit. In the cup the caramel leans more decisively toward chocolate, with some delicate, attractive floral top notes. Slight astringency in the finish.

Resonant, tightly-knit, complex aroma: chocolate, cedar, leather, vanilla, raisin. In the cup delicately acidy and gently opulent: honey, vanilla, flowers. A quiet cup that rewards patience.