San Francisco Reviews

Deep, intense, sweet-savory, utterly coherent. Intense lavender, black currant, mandarin orange, sandalwood, dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Sweet, tart, savory-bottomed structure with intense, balanced acidity; big, mouth-filling body. The flavor-saturated finish carries over every nuance from the cup.

Crisp, delicately sweet-toned. Bergamot, Fig Newton, baking chocolate, magnolia, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with gentle, round acidity; velvety-smooth mouthfeel. A crisp finish consolidates to notes of baking chocolate, dried fig, and cedar.

Crisp, sweetly nut-toned. Hazelnut, red apple, cocoa nib, pink peppercorn, fresh-cut fir in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with crisp, gentle acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Finish consolidates to hazelnut and fir with a hint of red apple.

Sweetly nut-toned, roasty. Hazelnut, baking chocolate, gently scorched cedar, gardenia, prune in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with barely perceptible acidity; thinnish mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to hazelnut and scorched cedar with a hint of baking chocolate.

Richly sweet-savory, deeply chocolaty. Dark chocolate, fine musk, black cherry, gently scorched cedar, wisteria in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with gentle, rounded acidity; full, creamy mouthfeel. The chocolaty finish is given further depth by suggestions of black cherry and musk, all ensconced in a gently smoky cedar.

Very roast-prominent, chocolaty and spiced-toned. Chocolate, charred mesquite, date, baking spices, dark caramel in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with a bitter edge; full though drying mouthfeel. The finish, while sweet, is dominated by burned wood notes that obscure the underlying chocolate and fruit.

Sweetly herbaceous and spice-toned. Lemon verbena, green grape, nutmeg, fresh-cut fir, maple syrup in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart in structure with bright, citrusy acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is resonant and long, leading with notes of lemon verbena and green grape in the short, modulating to fresh-cut fir in the long.

Crisply sweet, cleanly fruit-toned. Dried strawberry, cocoa nib, honeysuckle, agave syrup, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with crisp, apple-like acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The quiet finish evokes dried strawberry and wood-framed honeysuckle.

Evaluated as espresso. High-toned, sweetly tart; Bing cherry, dark chocolate, tangerine zest, honeysuckle, a hint of fine pipe tobacco in aroma and small cup. Full, syrupy mouthfeel; earthy-sweet finish. In cappuccino-scaled milk, dark chocolate is amplified, as are deep florals, while tart fruit notes round.

Floral and sweetly herbaceous with richly framed depth. Jasmine, spearmint, chocolate, watermelon, fine musk in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant, flavor-saturated finish centers around chocolate and jasmine with musk undertones.

Richly roasty and chocolaty, floral-toned. Dark chocolate, scorched cedar, magnolia, raisin, cashew in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure, with a hint of rounded acidity; full, plump mouthfeel. The drying, resonant finish consolidates to cocoa-toned cashew and smoky aromatic wood notes.

Richly sweet, spice-toned. Star jasmine, mango chutney, sandalwood, cacao nib, pink peppercorn in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with crisp acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. A richly drying finish leads with notes of jasmine and mango, supported by hints of incense-like sandalwood.

Deep, chocolaty, cleanly fruit-toned. Dark chocolate, cedar, black cherry, magnolia, molasses in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with gentle, rounded acidity. Consolidates to resonant chocolate and cherry in the finish.

Crisply sweet, rich-toned. Baker's chocolate, Bing cherry, hibiscus, oak, molasses in aroma and cup. Deeply sweet structure with pert acidity; velvety-smooth mouthfeel. Hibiscus and molasses lead the gently drying finish, with chocolate and oak resurfacing in the long.

Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Simple, balanced. Prominent cocoa, cedar, orange zest, a faint hint of flowers in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart in structure with a shadow of salt. Lightly syrupy in mouthfeel. Flavor holds, particularly cocoa, in the short finish, though a faintly salty wood prevails in the long.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly fruit-toned, balanced. Blackberry, baker's chocolate, hazelnut butter, honey, oak in aroma and small cup. Satiny-smooth mouthfeel; crisp, resonant finish. In cappuccino-scaled milk, chocolate tones are foregrounded, supported by berry and hazelnut.

Crisp, delicate, sweetly herbaceous. Roasted cacao nib, lemon verbena, almond brittle, date, freesia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with bright, citrusy acidity; delicate, silky mouthfeel. The resonant finish is crisply sweet and richly drying, with notes of lemon verbena and cocoa nib.

Balanced, richly sweet. Black cherry, molasses, cedar, baker's chocolate, lily-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with brisk acidity; crisp, velvety mouthfeel. Notes of baker's chocolate and molasses frame the short finish, while cedar and lily re-emerge in the gently drying long.

Evaluated as espresso. Vibrant and engaging; richly sweet-tart. Pomegranate, dark chocolate, blood orange zest, narcissus, sandalwood in aroma and small cup. Plush, syrupy mouthfeel; crisp, resonant finish. In three parts milk, both chocolate and floral tones bloom, supported by hints of spicy citrus zest and aromatic wood notes.

Sweetly and gently tart. Lavender, brown sugar, lemon zest, honeydew melon, fresh pipe tobacco in aroma and cup. Delicately sweet-tart and juicy in structure; lightly syrupy in mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but rings on in a resonant finish.