LATEST REVIEWS

An exciting, rather unusual complex of sweet but pungent citrus, nut and flowers animates the profile from aroma through finish. The citrus in particular is complex and engaging, one moment suggesting Meyer lemon, another especially sweet grapefruit. One cup of five we sampled displayed a very slight hint of bitterness; otherwise the rating for this exotic coffee would go higher.

Clean, complex, impeccable. Exhilaratingly dominated by crisp, nut-toned dry berry (blackberry, ripe black currant) in aroma and cup. Lush, lightly wine-toned acidity; medium body; syrupy mouthfeel. The underlying sweetness in the cup carries into the long, flavor-permeated finish.

Rich, complex fruit aroma, intensely sweet and full. Roundly balanced acidity, smooth body, with a hint of floral and fruit tones expanding in the cup: sweet citrus, berries, currants. A mildly astringent mouthfeel carries into the lightly bittersweet chocolate-toned finish.

Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (88): "This coffee had a complex, well-balanced aroma that reminded me of a vanilla flower, although I?ve never smelled a vanilla flower. I wish more of this had carried over into the cup, because the flavor was not as complex [nor] as interesting." Ken (92), on the other hand, found the floral and prune-toned fruit character of the aroma carried well into the cup, joined by cocoa and a slight, not unpleasant, salt or savory note. Ken and Jim agreed, however, in praising the richly resonant finish.

Balanced, pungent character - "smoky and nutty" for co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89), "prune, nut, aromatic wood" for Ken (90) with rich floral hints. Smooth mouthfeel, round, rich finish.

Rich, low-toned, deceptively simple coffee. Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) found it a quietly complete cup, though "somewhat shy" in acidity. Both Jim and Ken (90) wrestled with a very slight hint of what cuppers call "bagginess," a faint mildewed note that appears in coffees that have suffered exposure to too much moisture during shipment or storage. The coffee's essential richness and floral cocoa tendencies overcame this shadow note, however, allowing the underlying beauty of the coffee to resonate in cup and long, flavor-saturated finish.

For co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) a smooth and essentially complete cup but too subdued, with "unassertive acidity." Ken (90) found the cup quiet as well, but enjoyed floral, apricot, chocolate, possibly butter notes in aroma and cup, with an acidity that was richly red-wine-like.

Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (91) praised a "spicy pungency" in the aroma and a smooth, balanced acidity. Ken (89) agreed. Both found the pungent character carrying into the cup, complicated for Ken by hints of flowers and cocoa. Simple but satisfying finish. Jim found the body "balanced in the light to medium range" but Ken found the mouthfeel a bit lean, accounting for his somewhat lower score.

Both co-cupper Jim Reynolds (90) and Ken (91) described a very sweet-toned aroma and pleasingly delicate acidity, which Ken glossed as "wine-toned." Lightly syrupy mouthfeel, clean and balanced in flavor, "nutty" for Jim, tartly fruity and floral for Ken. Very sweet-finishing.

Ken (93) favored this coffee considerably more than did co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) despite the fact that both described it in similar terms. Ken was taken by floral qualities in aroma and cup, an essential sweetness, and what he called a complimentary "cocoaish dry fruit," doubtless the same sensation as Jim describes positively as "pungent" and "spicy and nutty." Both agreed that the acidity was gentle, though Ken scored it higher and described it as "crisp and sweet." Both found the mouthfeel attractively smooth and the finish long and flavor-saturated.

Ken (92) particularly admired this coffee's deep, night-blossoming floral character which he felt was balanced by an underlying crisp, cedary cocoa. Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (91) found the profile "mild" and caramelly with a soft ? for Jim, a bit too soft ? acidity.

Co-cupper Jim Reynolds and Ken both admired this coffee, but Ken, at 90, was less admiring than Jim at 95. Essentially, Jim found everything he wanted in an African coffee of this style - a combination of complexity, balance and deep dimension - whereas Ken liked what he found but wanted more of it, more intensity and a more pronounced, distinctive character. Both admired a bright, citrusy but delicate acidity, silky mouthfeel, and a mildly pungent chocolate that Jim described as "smoky chocolate" and Ken as "cocoa and aromatic wood." Jim found the aftertaste "lingering," Ken found it pleasing but short.

Both co-cupper Jim Reynolds (94) and Ken (91) particularly admired the "active acidity" (Jim) of this coffee with its rich berry and floral influences. Jim found the flavor "complex but balanced." Ken was more specific: "dark chocolate, cherryish fruit, a hint of dusk flowers." Both approved of mouthfeel ("lightly syrupy," Ken) and finish ("light, bright and very pleasant," Jim).

Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (92) admired the "spicy, floral qualities" of this coffee, as did Ken (94), who found blackberry and spicy rose in both aroma and cup. A medium-bodied coffee, but both Jim and Ken remarked on the impressively smooth mouthfeel. Ken showed perhaps a bit more admiration for delicate poise of this coffee, which may account for his higher score.

Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (95): "This coffee scored well in every category. I especially liked the floral acidity - a nice vanilla and chocolate aspect to the flavor complemented the smooth - very smooth - mouthfeel." Ken's praise (94) was nearly identical, though he added "spicy fruit" and a hint of lemon to his descriptors. Impressive flavor persistence in a long, rich finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly aromatic in the small cup, with soft notes of toast, honey and fruit. Medium to full body with orangey chocolate notes and hints of flowers and caramel. The fruit toned chocolate persists in the bittersweet finish. In two parts milk, toast and cocoa dominate the cup at first, with the orange-like character re-emerging as the cup cools, lingering into the finish.

The aroma is sweet-toned and alive with flowers, ripe tomato, a hint of cedar; the mouthfeel silky. The issue in the cup is the acidity, sweet but intense, all but sidelining delicate cocoa and floral notes and carrying with dry authority into the finish.

Sweet-toned aromatic wood and roundly fruity aroma, with hints that suggest coconut. Medium to full body, soft mouthfeel, balanced acidity, and a complex range of flavors - grapefruit, lime, coconut, sweet table grapes, aromatic wood and a suggestion of flowers. Flavor characteristics linger and sweeten in the long, slightly dry finish.

A graceful floral-toned cocoa dominates. In the aroma very sweet-toned, buttery pungency, flowering grass, orangy citrus. In the cup, gentle, roast-muted acidity, silky mouthfeel, and the impressive floral-toned cocoa that persists into a rich finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly and sweetly aromatic in the small cup, with roasty hints of cedar, spice and tobacco. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel with flavors of dark chocolate, more cedar, and sweet notes of lemon and prune. The chocolate becomes more bittersweet in the finish, overlaying a mild astringency. In two parts milk, a roasty, salty-sweet chocolate dominates the cup.