Blind Assessment: Delicately intense; layered complexity. Candied lemon, peach, kiwi, roasted cacao nib, a hint of spice (cardamom, saffron) in aroma and cup. Soft but crisply lively acidity; very silky mouthfeel. Sweet, deeply flavor-saturated finish.

Notes: This is Lot #21 of this year’s production from the Alemu Washing station in Kochere. Yirgacheffe is a coffee region in southern Ethiopia that produces distinctive coffees from traditional varieties of Arabica long grown in the region. Yirgacheffe coffees like this one processed by the wet or washed method (fruit skin and pulp are removed before drying) typically express great aromatic complexity and intensity, often with a particular emphasis on floral and citrus notes. Like virtually all Ethiopia coffees, this coffee is produced by villagers on small, garden plots interplanted with food and other subsistence crops. Based in the San Diego area, Bird Rock Coffee Roasters is a retailer and wholesaler focused on organic and socially responsible coffees; it was awarded the “2012 Roaster of the Year” title from Roast Magazine. Visit www.birdrockcoffee.com or call 858-551-1707 for more information.

Who Should Drink It: A superb Yirgacheffe with emphasis on sweetly tart, complexly expressed fruit notes given depth and crispness by suggestions of cacao nib and spice.

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