Blind Assessment: Sweetly bright, balanced, complete. Pomegranate juice, tangerine zest, wisteria, hazelnut butter, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Gentle, buoyant acidity; velvety mouthfeel. Clean, floral finish with notes of wisteria and tangerine zest that go long.

Notes: This exceptional coffee was selected as the No. 20 coffee on Coffee Review’s list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2016. Produced entirely from trees of the Bourbon variety of Arabica by the SOPACDI coop. This is a wet-processed or “washed” coffee, meaning the fruit skin and pulp were removed from the beans immediately after harvesting and before drying. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has very recently established itself as a source of specialty coffee with the development of cooperatives like Sopacdi. Located overlooking Lake Kivu, on the opposite side of the lake from Rwanda, this rapidly growing cooperative now has 5,600 members and apparently is succeeding its goal to help heal wounds left by the latest in eastern Congo’s seemingly endless string of horrific rebellions and civil wars. This coffee is certified organically grown and Fair Trade, meaning it was purchased from small-holding farmers at a “fair” or economically sustainable price. Founded in 1990, Lexington Coffee is an award-winning artisan roasting company based in Virginia. Lexington’s focus on fresh, flavorful and sustainable coffee is reflected in its motto, “Fresh, Flavorful & Fair.” Visit www.lexingtoncoffee.com or call 800-322-6505 for more information.

The Bottom Line: A particularly impressive example of the improving coffees from the Lake Kivu region Congo SOPACDI Cooperative: clean, floral, and deeply engaging in the cup.