Maui Kupa’a Orange Bourbon

Blind Assessment: Bright, crisply sweet-tart. Peach, honeysuckle, cinnamon, cedar, cacao nib in aroma and cup. Richly sweet, high-toned structure with citrusy acidity; crisp, silky mouthfeel. Peach and honeysuckle carry the short finish, while cocoa-toned cedar resurfaces in the long.

Notes: This coffee tied for the second-highest rating in a cupping of Hawai’i-grown coffees for Coffee Review’s May 2019 tasting report. Produced by Gerry Ross and Janet Simpson at Kupa’a Farms entirely of the Orange Bourbon variety of Arabica, and processed by the wet or “washed” method, in which skin and fruit flesh are removed from the beans or seeds before they are dried. Founded by roaster Heather Brisson-Lutz in 2018, Origin Coffee Roasters highlights the origin of each carefully selected coffee with a roast profile that highlights the specific characteristics of the green. Visit www.origincoffeemaui.com for more information.

The Bottom Line: A window into the great potential of higher-grown, cool-climate Maui coffee: bright but balanced, sweet-toned, and subtly nuanced. Grown in Kula, an agricultural zone on the western-facing slopes of Mount Haleakala and source of most of the island’s locally grown fruits and vegetables.