Blind Assessment: Richly sweet, deeply aromatic, vibrant. Dried apricot, dark chocolate, narcissus, pink grapefruit zest, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with lively, balanced acidity; full, creamy mouthfeel. A quiet finish centers around chocolate and apricot notes supported by sandalwood.

Notes: This coffee comes from four growing regions in Yemen: Hajja, Haraz, Beni Ismael and Beni Matar. Although Ethiopia is the botanical home of Coffea Arabica, Yemen introduced the beverage to the rest of the world in the 16th and 17th centuries, and Yemen coffee is still grown from ancient cultivars of arabica on stone-walled terraces. All Yemen coffees are natural-processed, or dried in the whole fruit. This particular Yemen may owe its striking aromatics to ancient tree varieties, but its clean elegance is most likely owing to the efforts of exporter Rayyan Mill in the capital of Sana’a, which has worked with farmers to improve picturesque but often haphazard harvesting and drying procedures. Baba Java is a specialty roaster and cafe retailer located in Hoover Alabama that strives to provide the best coffee experience at every step. Visit www.babajavacoffee.com or call 205-777-5984 for more information.

The Bottom Line: A lovely introduction to the pleasures of Yemen: fruit-toned yet balanced, floral yet restrained, and mysterious with its throughline of deep aromatic wood that is more perfumy than earthy.

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