Blind Assessment

Juicy but brisk, intricate. Honey, orange, mango, lilac-like flowers, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Rich acidity; smoothly satiny, lively mouthfeel. Flowers and cacao nib in particular saturate a deep, crisply bittersweet finish.

Notes

This very small lot of Grade 1 (the highest grade of Ethiopia coffee) from the Shilcho cooperative in the southern Ethiopia Sidama region was produced in response to an initiative dubbed ‘red cherry’ by importer Royal Coffee. Royal has agreed to pay a premium to the cooperative for coffee produced only from carefully picked ripe, or “red cherry” coffee fruit. Processed by the orthodox wet or “washed” method, in which the fruit residue is removed or “washed” from the beans immediately after picking and before drying. This coffee is certified organically grown and Fair Trade certified, meaning it was purchased from small-holding farmers at a “fair” or economically sustainable price. Cafe Virtuoso is a small-batch coffee roaster that strives to procure, roast and deliver the best quality coffee in San Diego. Visit www.cafevirtuoso.com or call 619-550-1830 for more information.

Who Should Drink It

This classic southern Ethiopia wet-processed profile balances floral and fresh-fruit sweetness with a crisp, cocoa-edged briskness. For those who enjoy sweetness without simplicity.

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