Blind Assessment: Here the whole is more than the parts. A balanced structure of sweetness and bitterness and a plump, smooth body compensate for a relative lack of nuance. For some coffee drinkers, the bitterness may assert itself a bit too strongly in the aftertaste.

Notes: Here the whole is more than the parts. A balanced structure of sweetness and bitterness and a plump, smooth body compensate for a relative lack of nuance. Polly 's Gourmet Coffee, founded in 1976, is a pioneering Southern California specialty coffee roaster. Polly 's has stayed true to the original vision of specialty coffee: one store, one roasting machine, one coffee guy, and zero stockholders.

Who Should Drink It: A straightforward coffee, whose simple, strong structure and slightly bitterish finish should stand up well to milk and sweeteners.