Blind Assessment: Intense, spicy-sweet, chocolaty. Mexican chocolate (cocoa nib, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar), oak, orange zest, juniper berry or a light whiff of gin in aroma and cup. Sweet but crisp and balanced in structure, with a savory bottom. Light, though quite syrupy, mouthfeel. Cinnamon dominates in the short finish, but cocoa comes forward in a sweet and long-lasting finish.

Notes: This coffee tied for second-highest rating in a cupping of coffees produced using reduced oxygen (“anaerobic”) processing methods for Coffee Review’s November 2019 tasting report. Anaerobic processing, in this case, means that producer Luis Eduardo Campos fermented this coffee, after pulping or skinning, in a sealed, limited-oxygen stainless steel tank to encourage production of lactic acids that contribute to this sample’s very original cup profile. Husband and wife team Samantha and Weston Nawrocki founded Manzanita Roasting on their family’s 127-year-old winery in San Diego. Committed to quality direct-trade sourcing and skillful roasting, they are happy to be a part of what they call San Diego’s new “coffee frontier.” Manzanita offers free shipping on online orders $45 and over. Visit www.manzanitaroasting.com for more information.

The Bottom Line: The complex, sweet-spicy character of Mexican chocolate dominates in this shifting, surprising, but ultimately balanced cup.