Guatemala San Guayaba

Blind Assessment: Soft, sweet aroma with hints of cinnamon, nuts and toast. Bright acidity, medium body, with a lightly syrupy mouthfeel. In the cup, sweet orange-toned citrus, fading to walnut, baking spices and dark chocolate. Slight astringency in the finish, with faint nut and cocoa notes.

Notes: A prize winner in the 2008 Guatemala Cup of Excellence competition, where as a green (unroasted) coffee it placed third out of hundreds of entries, attracting a score of 89.68 from an international jury. Offering everything from baked goods to frozen foods, Archer Farms is a premium-food house brand of the Target Corporation. This coffee is available exclusively at Target stores in a very handsome, reusable 10-ounce tin. Selling an exclusive competition-winning coffee in a mass-marketing context is something new in the coffee world. The price, $14.99 for 10 ounces, may appear to contradict the second half of the Archer Farms motto, "Tasty Food Tasty Price." On the other hand, the wholesale price for this coffee bought unroasted at auction was over $20 per pound as listed on the Cup of Excellence website. Factoring in roasting, an expensive package and distribution, it would appear that Target is selling this coffee at a loss, or close to it. A solid Central American coffee that may have slightly faded in the green or lost aromatics in the packaging. Visit www.target.com or call 800-440-0680 for more information.

Who Should Drink It : Convenience-minded shoppers looking for a gift coffee with a fancy package, a distinguished story and a decent cup.