Blind Assessment:

Richly savory, deeply sweet. Ginger blossom, almond brittle, pear, fresh, moist forest notes, wildflower honey in aroma and cup. Structured balance among sweet, tart and savory tastes; crisp, velvety mouthfeel. The honey-toned finish leads with ginger blossom in the short and notes of pear and almond in the long.

Notes:

This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 11 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2018. This coffee earned the second-highest rating in a cupping of coffees from the Great Lakes region of Africa for Coffee Review’s June 2018 tasting report. Produced entirely from trees of the Bourbon variety of Arabica by members of the SOPACDI coop. Located overlooking Lake Kivu, on the opposite side of the lake from Rwanda, this rapidly growing cooperative now has 5,600 members and apparently is succeeding in its goal to help heal wounds left by the latest in eastern Congo’s seemingly endless string of horrific rebellions and civil wars. A wet-processed or “washed” coffee, meaning the fruit skin and pulp were removed from the beans immediately after harvesting and before drying. This coffee is certified organically grown and certified fair trade, meaning it was purchased at no less than a minimum price determined by the certifying agency to be economically sustainable for the farmers. Dragonfly Coffee is a Boulder, Colorado-based micro-roaster that produces high-quality coffees and supports worthy causes. Visit www.dragonflycoffeeroasters.com or call 303-579-2154 for more information.

The Bottom Line: One of the finest Congos we've cupped in years: spice-toned, floral, tantalizingly sweet-savory, with a throughline of rich earth tones evoking a forest walk after a rain.