Blind Assessment: Spectacular and juicy. The aroma starts quietly: orange, flowers, honey, a crisp hint of juniper. Round, sweet, brilliantly lively acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. In the cup lavish honey, orange, lychee, rose-like flowers, and a smoothing hint of chocolate. Rose and lychee in particular carry into a refreshing, resonant finish.

Notes: This exceptional coffee was selected as the #18 coffee in the Coffee Review Top 30 Coffees of 2013. Maragogipe (Maragojipe in Spanish; also spelled Maragogype) is a variety of Arabica first discovered growing near the Brazilian town of the same name. It is a seldom-grown variety that produces enormous beans. This is an exceptional Maragogipe, the most exciting and vivid in cup character I have ever sampled. It was developed by Miguel Meza and Lorie Obra of Isla Custom Coffees and is offered through Lorie Obra’s Rusty’s Hawaiian Coffee. It is comprised of Maragogipe beans gathered from several small plots on the Big Island of Hawaii, and processed by the honey method, meaning the skin was removed from the coffee fruit immediately after picking but the beans or seeds were dried with at least some of the fruit pulp or “honey” still adhering to them. This practice contrasts to the more conventional wet or washed method, wherein both skin and pulp are removed from the beans before drying. Visit www.rustyshawaiian.com or call 808-928-8916 for more information.

Who Should Drink It: Maragogipe is generally known for its big, showy beans rather than for its cup character, but this Maragogipe defies expectation with a lush and original aromatic profile.

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