Blind Assessment:

A complex and overwhelming aromatic immersion. Pink bubblegum, winter spices, salted fudge, candied ginger, elderflower, herbal liqueur (yellow chartreuse?) in aroma and cup. The structure is dramatic: basic tastes are all disconcertingly intense, including sweet, salt and savory, yet they all somehow layer and satisfy. Very full and syrupy mouthfeel with a spicy drying edge. The finish is resonant, slightly bittersweet though chocolaty and rich.

Notes:

This coffee is a collaboration between brothers Michael Johnson of JBC Coffee Roasters and Joseph Brodsky of the Panama producer Ninety Plus Coffee. It was produced entirely from trees of the celebrated Gesha variety of Arabica, and processed by an unconventional, proprietary variation of the wet method in which the whole coffee fruit is subjected to fermentation and washing before drying. JBC Coffee Roasters’ vision is simple: “let the coffee lead the way” through sourcing and roasting the best and most unique coffees available and rewarding the farmers who grow those coffees with substantial premiums. Visit www.jbccoffeeroasters.com or call 608-256-5282 for more information.

The Bottom Line: A coffee that in its wild, unruly intensity and intriguing aromatic drama challenges the boundaries of what coffee is and can be.