Blind Assessment: Evaluated at proportions of 5 grams of instant coffee powder mixed with 8.5 ounces (250 ml) of hot water. Crisp, sweet/tart. Cocoa, faint mango, lemon zest, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet/savory in structure; delicate but smooth in mouthfeel. Hints of citrus and cocoa animate a sweet short finish, with a slight salty edge surfacing in the long.

Notes: This coffee tied for the third-highest rating in a tasting of soluble or “instant” coffees for Coffee Review’s September 2018 tasting report. The green coffee was produced by the Duromina Cooperative in southern Ethiopia. It was sourced and roasted by Reanimator Coffee Roasters in Philadelphia and solubilized and packaged as an instant by Swift Cup in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Reanimator Coffee Roasters is a Philadelphia-based micro-roaster with four cafe locations throughout the city. Visit www.reanimatorcoffee.com for more information. Swift Cup Coffee, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is dedicated to producing quality instant coffees through ethical sourcing and a proprietary process. Visit www.swiftcupcoffee.com for more information.  

The Bottom Line: Quietly lively washed Ethiopia that preserves some of the lemony citrus, cocoa and perfumy sandalwood of this treasured type in instant coffee format.