Blind Assessment

Lindsey Bolger: "Intense aroma of fresh-from-oven brownies. Flavors of dark chocolate and sweet caramel compliment the rather dark roast. I added points to acknowledge the roaster's skill in pairing the roast so appropriately to the coffee" (85). Ken also was impressed by the aroma: "richly low-toned, chocolaty, malty, spicy, complex. In the cup gently roasty, complicated by dry fruit and malt notes. A slightly astringent finish lowered my score" (84).

Notes

Mandheling, grown in districts around lake Toba in North Sumatra Province, is the classic Sumatra origin. Technically it is a wet-processed coffee, but a series of peculiarities in how it is processed and dried give it its characteristic low-key richness and idiosyncratic, often unpredictable, flavor notes. Stockton Graham & Co is a quality-oriented wholesale roaster whose slogan or subtitle is "global beverage experiences." Visit www.stocktongraham.com or call 800-835-5943 for more info.

Who Should Drink It

Lovers of traditional Sumatra Mandhelings, with their low-toned complexity and ambiguous mustiness that, in a well-handled dark roast like this one, bring to mind good things like dark chocolate and oven-fresh brownies (Lindsey) or chocolate-toned dry fruit and malt (Ken).

Explore Similar Coffees

Click here for more reviews from Stockton Graham & Co

Click here for more information about coffees from Sumatra