Blind Assessment:

Deeply rich, sweet, complex. Cocoa nib, ripe persimmon, tangerine zest, gardenia and myrrh in aroma and small cup. Rich, lightly velvety mouthfeel; crisp, cocoa-toned finish. In three parts milk, aromatics carry through distinctly with balanced pungency and sweetness.

Notes:

Southern Ethiopia coffees like this one are largely produced from distinctive indigenous Ethiopian varieties of Arabica long grown in the region. This is a dry-processed or “natural” version, meaning the beans were dried inside the fruit rather than after the fruit has been removed, as is the case with wet-processed or “washed” coffees. Small Eyes Café is a small, family-owned coffee shop in Yilan, Taiwan, specializing in artisanally roasted specialty coffee and homemade desserts. Visit https://www.facebook.com/Smalleyescafe for more information.

The Bottom Line: A thoroughly enjoyable fruit-forward espresso with considerable complexity, expressed by the roaster through the romantic notion written on the retail bag, “The road to love is very happy, Blowing the horn at 3pm.”