The World's Leading Coffee Guide
The coffees and espressos that appear below demonstrate exceptional value relative to other coffees of similar quality and distinctiveness as reflected in their overall score. These best value coffees often sell out quickly and may no longer be available. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee.
Intense, spicy-sweet, chocolaty. Mexican chocolate (cocoa nib, vanilla, cinnamon, sugar), oak, orange zest, juniper berry or a light whiff of gin in aroma and cup. Sweet but crisp and balanced in structure, with a savory bottom. Light, though quite syrupy, mouthfeel. Cinnamon dominates in the short finish, but cocoa comes forward in a sweet and long-lasting finish.
Savory-sweet, richly aromatic. Red currant, hop flowers, lime zest, dark chocolate, cedar in aroma and cup. Savory-sweet structure with high-toned, juicy acidity; full, buttery mouthfeel. Cocoa-toned finish with notes of red currant and lime zest in the short, rounding to hop flowers in the long.
Deeply sweet, nut-toned. Hazelnut butter, baker’s chocolate, magnolia, oak forest, agave syrup in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The gentle finish consolidates to hazelnut and chocolate tones with a hint of rich aromatic wood in the long.
Subtly and sweetly rich, deeply savory. Goji berry, cocoa nib, myrrh, fine musk, gardenia in aroma and cup. Sweet-savory structure with juicy acidity; crisp, lightly satiny mouthfeel. The finish resonates with perfume and cocoa notes, with deep richness into the long.
Evaluated as espresso. Bright, sweetly tart, floral- and nut-toned. Nougat, cherry, wisteria, almond wood, sweet lime in aroma and small cup. Nicely syrupy, crisp mouthfeel. The finish simplifies around an attractively tart and nutty resonance. The florals, tart elegance and rich-toned nuttiness carry with grace and delicacy into three parts milk.
Richly sweet-tart, high-toned. Cacao nib, pie cherry, lilac, cedar, nougat in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart structure with juicy, vibrant acidity; crisp, velvety mouthfeel. The resonant finish centers around notes of tart stonefruit and cacao nib.
Rich-toned, chocolaty, exquisitely balanced. Chocolate fudge, pink grapefruit zest, cherry, sandalwood, narcissus in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart structure with bright, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish consolidates to notes of chocolate fudge and citrus-toned sandalwood.
Crisply sweet, floral-toned. Orange blossom, blackberry, cooked taro root, cacao nib, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweetly savory structure with gentle, rounded acidity; full, creamy mouthfeel. A pleasing sweet starchiness akin to taro root surfaces in the finish, integrated with rich floral and fruit tones.
Richly sweet, spice-toned. Baker’s chocolate, spice box, magnolia, fresh-cut fir, brown sugar in aroma and cup. Sweet in structure with round, gentle acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. The finish centers around baker’s chocolate and spice with notes of aromatic wood throughout.
Sweet, crisply nut- and cocoa-toned. Cocoa, hazelnut, honey, a hint of lime zest, artichoke blossom in aroma and cup. Delicately crisp, lightly zesty in structure; light and silky in mouthfeel. Surprisingly resonant in the finish, with flavor consolidating around flowers and a hint of citrus.
Deeply sweet, elegantly rich. Mulberry, sandalwood, tangerine zest, jasmine, baking spices in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart in structure with high-toned, juicy acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. The seemingly infinite finish fulfills the promise of the cup, leading with deep berry and citrus zest, rounding to floral-toned spice.
Very sweet, chocolaty and spicy. Ripe banana, moist pipe tobacco, tangerine zest, lilac, bakers chocolate in aroma and small cup. Light, silky mouthfeel. Tightens and turns rather dry in the finish, especially in the long. The coffee’s complex aromatics and deep sweetness carry seductively into three parts milk.
Sweetly floral and richly resinous. Cedar, lemon zest, dried jasmine, cacao nib, loquat in aroma and cup. Delicate, sweetly brisk in structure; silky and lively in mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates around cedar and cocoa in a crisp, drying finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Fruit-toned, chocolaty. Dried apricot, chocolate fudge, oak, honeysuckle, almond brittle in aroma and small cup. Velvety mouthfeel; fruit- and chocolate-toned finish. In three parts milk, chocolate and almond notes converge for a dessert-like experience, with a hint of dried apricot.
Richly sweet-toned, floral. Magnolia, brown sugar, cedar, plum, hazelnut in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with round, gentle acidity; satiny-smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to notes of brown sugar and magnolia.
Lavish, captivatingly complex, deeply savory-sweet. Candycap mushroom, lilac, dark chocolate, dried coconut, frankincense in aroma and cup. Structurally, the savory component, which is typically an undertone, occupies the top of the aromatic and flavor range, with deep sweetness (fruit, florals) underneath. The mouthfeel is lively and richly syrupy. The seemingly eternal finish is a quiet mirror of the cup.
Evaluated as espresso. Exquisitely aromatic: high-toned, savory and impossibly floral. Toffee, dried black currant, myrrh, lavender, fine musk in aroma and small cup. Plush, syrupy mouthfeel; big, complex finish that is equal parts sweet and savory. In cappuccino-scaled milk, a whole new mid-palate is created, something akin to a mushroom custard.
Evaluated as espresso. Bittersweet, gently roast-toned, chocolaty. Chocolate fudge, roasted hazelnut, green apple, molasses, singed cedar in aroma and small cup. Silky-smooth mouthfeel; crisp, richly drying finish. Reads like a classic Italian espresso in three parts milk, bitter and sweet in equal parts, balanced and harmonious with a hint of roast throughout.
Deeply sweet, fruit-toned, with a hint of sweet ferment. Baker’s chocolate, plum, narcissus, barrel-aged rum, cedar in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned structure with brisk acidity; full, satiny mouthfeel. Richly drying, flavor-saturated finish.
Deeply rich, equally sweet and savory. Brown sugar, hop flowers, toasted coconut, chestnut, sumac in aroma and cup. Sweet-tart-savory structure with vibrant, juicy acidity; viscous, satiny mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to coconut and chestnut with undertones of brown sugar.
