Blind Assessment: Evaluated as espresso. Attractively roast-prominent, deeply sweet and complex. Scorched cedar, baking chocolate, blackberry jam, blood orange zest, marjoram, violet-like flowers in aroma and small cup. Lightly creamy, almost fluffy mouthfeel. Finish consolidates around an herb-toned chocolate enveloped in a smoky resonance. In three parts milk, intensely sweet and aromatically vibrant, supported by a rich, smoky depth.

Notes: This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 4 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2019. Produced entirely from trees of the SL-28 variety of Arabica, the variety associated with the finest Kenya coffees. Processed by the yellow honey method. With all honey processing methods, some sweet pulp or fruit flesh (“honey”) is allowed to adhere to the beans during drying. In the yellow honey variation, a thin layer of pulp is allowed to dry on the beans, more than with white honey, but much less than is the case with red or black honey. In addition to his retail roasting operation, Aroma Roast Coffees, Simon Hsieh also operates Soaring Phoenix Trading, a business focused on purpose-built commercial espresso blends and high quality single-origin coffees. Customers can also visit the new showroom, Chateau Andy, in Taipei City. Visit www.facebook.com/4ArtsZeroDefectCoffees or call 886-0983-749876 for more information.

The Bottom Line: The intense roast character will please some and turn off others, but regardless, a thoroughly engaging, complex cup with great levity and sweetness.