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90

Counter Culture Coffee

Rwanda Ikawa

Roaster Location: Durham, North Carolina
Coffee Origin: Butare, southern Rwanda.
Roast Level: Medium-Light
Agtron: 55/67
Review Date: June 2009
Aroma: 8
Acidity: 8
Body: 8
Flavor: 8
Aftertaste: 8

Blind Assessment

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.

Notes

Rwanda's tremendous potential as fine coffee producer has only come to fruition over the past four to five years owing to generous support from international aid agencies, the specialty coffee community and the industry of its growers. Produced entirely from trees of the heirloom French Mission Bourbon variety by members of the Nyakizu community. Counter Culture is a small-batch wholesale specialty roaster with an informative and lively website, a commitment to fine coffee and youthful, enthusiastic leadership. Visit www.counterculturecoffee.com or call 888-238-5282 for more information.

Who Should Drink It

Those who can easily imagine the smell of vanilla flowers.

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Click here for more reviews from Counter Culture Coffee


This review originally appeared in the June, 2009 tasting report: Alternative Africas: Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania

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About the Author: Kenneth Davids

Kenneth Davids is editor, chief writer and co-founder of Coffee Review. His latest book, 21st Century Coffee: A Guide is an unprecedentedly thorough survey of specialty coffee in all of its aspects, authoritative yet engaging. He has been involved with coffee since the early 1970s and has published three earlier books on coffee, including the influential Home Roasting: Romance and Revival, now in its second edition, and Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying, which has sold nearly 250,000 copies in five editions..

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