Blind Assessment: Richly chocolaty, sweetly herbaceous. Chocolate fudge, lemon verbena, blackberry, agave syrup, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with juicy, citrusy acidity; velvety mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to notes of blackberry, chocolate fudge, and cedar.

Notes: This coffee tied for the fourth-highest rating in a cupping of coffees roasted by Black-owned coffee companies for Coffee Review’s August 2020 report. From the slopes of Mt. Elgon in far western Kenya rather than from the more familiar growing regions of central Kenya. Produced by the approximately 1,000 small-holding members of the Kapsakiso cooperative from trees of the admired SL28 and SL34 varieties of Arabica and processed by the washed method. RND, aka Roasters Next Door, is a Roanoke, Virginia-based specialty coffee roastery and coffee lounge. Visit www.roanokecoffee.com for more information.

The Bottom Line: A friendly, inviting Kenya cup: chocolaty and berry-driven with especially vibrant acidity.