Blind Assessment: Sweetly pungent, lightly roast-influenced. Black currant, dark chocolate, mildly scorched cedar, an herby hint in aroma and cup. Roast-muted acidity; plump, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Finish consolidates around a dry chocolate and a complicating hint of tart black currant.

Notes: Currently sold-out. Despite grower discontent, unclear government coffee policy and urban encroachment on prime coffee lands, the famed Kenya coffee auction system and its participating cooperatives continue to produce some of the world's most elegant and distinctive coffees. This is a limited edition coffee, one of an array of very select small-lot coffees that together demonstrate the entry of Starbucks into the new, highest-end specialty coffee arena. This coffee, like most of the Starbucks Reserve coffees that can be purchased online or at other Starbucks locations, was roasted on a largish batch-roaster located on the lower level of the Reserve Roastery rather than on the smaller roaster that produces the bulk coffees sold only on site. For further information visit www.starbucks.com/roastery.

Who Should Drink It: Those who enjoy moderately dark roasts that preserve some taste of place, in this case a characteristic Kenya pungent berry and (here a roast-influenced) dark chocolate.