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85

Counter Culture Coffee

Sumatra Mandheling

Roaster Location: Durham, North Carolina
Roast Level: NA
Agtron: /
Review Date: December 1999
Aroma: 8
Acidity: 6
Body: 7
Flavor: 8

Blind Assessment

Pungently rich and round in the nose. In the cup the signature hard mustiness is balanced by sweetness, particularly in the finish.

Notes

Pungently rich and round in the nose. In the cup the signature hard mustiness is balanced by sweetness, particularly in the finish. Traditionally processed Sumatras often display a hard, musty taste that comes from rain-interrupted drying or storage under moist conditions. This taste was admired by Europeans who paid luxury prices for the "Old Brown" Javas that achieved their musty ta

Who Should Drink It

Think the musty dampness of basements and old boards. A childhood memory perhaps. Then imagine just a hint of that taste in your cup. If this sounds like a strange introduction to what some consider a gourmet treat, remember, you may have thought soft-ripened cheese smelled like your father 's socks the first time you tasted it too.

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This review originally appeared in the December, 1999 tasting report: Coffees of the Millennium

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