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.
Delicate, crisply sweet. Jasmine, cedar, pink grapefruit zest, mango, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Round, gentle acidity; satiny mouthfeel. The sweetly savory finish is carried by cocoa-toned floral notes with hints of citrus zest.
Sweetly savory, high-toned. Blackberry, freesia-like flowers, orange zest, brown sugar, juniper in aroma and cup. Rich, savory acidity; delicate, though rather syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is especially savory-toned, resonant with notes of juniper (berry and bark) and bittersweet orange zest.
Delicate, sweetly tart, spice-toned. Nougat, orange, clove, rye whisky, baker’s chocolate in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet-tart acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The gently drying finish is richly aromatic and laden with chocolate tones, hints of orange, and a whisper of sweet ferment suggesting rye whisky.
Sweetly pungent, rich-toned, savory. Peach, violet, pistachio, molasses, thyme in aroma and cup. Gentle, backgrounded acidity; syrupy, lean though smooth mouthfeel. The resonant finish is long, leading with attractive floral top notes, followed by hints of stone fruit, finally rounding to cocoa and herb tones in the very long.
Sweetly pungent, complexly layered. Baker's chocolate, pink grapefruit zest, dried mango, freesia, perique (fermented) tobacco in aroma and cup. Juicy, bright, balanced acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. The resonant, richly drying finish has a throughline of baker’s chocolate and dried mango, accented by tobacco and spicy floral notes.
Richly sweet-savory, floral-toned. Mulberry, rhododendron, lemon verbena, white peppercorn, roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Sweet, rounded acidity; plush, velvety mouthfeel. The resonant finish consolidates to mulberry and roasted cacao nib in the short; notes of white peppercorn return in the long.
Evaluated as espresso. Deep-toned, balanced, richly sweet. Dark chocolate, cherry blossom, pink grapefruit, coconut, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and small cup. Round, buttery mouthfeel; sweetly tart cedar- and floral-toned finish. Dark chocolate and coconut notes are amplified in three parts milk, supported by pleasant hints of aromatic cedar.
A grapey, fruit-saturated alcohol dominates, big and startling, though more grappa-like than whiskey-like. Pear, grappa, white oak, cocoa, raisin in aroma and cup. The acidity is essentially unreadable in coffee terms given the impact of the big, grapey alcohol sensation. The mouthfeel is light and pleasingly buoyant. The fruity alcohol dominates in a very sweet finish.
Complexly structured; tart, sweet-savory, balanced. Mango, cedar, molasses, fresh pipe tobacco, grapefruit zest in aroma and cup. Gently crisp acidity; plush, syrupy mouthfeel. Tobacco, cedar and the mango-like fruit carry into a quiet finish.
Sweetly pungent, roast-rounded. Dark chocolate, floral vanilla, orange zest, scorched cedar in aroma and cup. Pungent, bittersweet acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Bittersweet but resonant in the finish: Chocolate and orange dominate in a bittersweet but resonant finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly roast-toned and crisply chocolaty. Dark chocolate, gently scorched cedar, narcissus-like flowers, raisin in aroma and small cup. Full, syrupy mouthfeel. Rich short finish, rather drying in the long. Dominates milk with a raisin- and floral-nuanced chocolate.
Delicate, subtle, intricately vibrant. Honey, strawberry guava, lilac, roasted cacao nib, fine musk in aroma and cup. Buoyant, juicy acidity; lush, velvety mouthfeel. The finish is distinctive in its richly drying, yet flavor-saturated originality. All of the aroma and flavor notes from the cup are sustained in the short finish, and strawberry guava and lilac, in particular, persist far into the very long.
Delicate, sweetly spicy. Baker’s chocolate, pink peppercorn, rose hip, ripe peach, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Crisply bittersweet acidity; satiny mouthfeel. The resonant finish leads with notes of stonefruit in the short; baker’s chocolate and cedar round out the long.
Delicate, richly sweet. Lilac, roasted cacao nib, vanilla bean, tart quince, aromatic frankincense in aroma and cup. Roundly sweet acidity; lush, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The gentle finish is quietly flavor-saturated, leading with fruit and floral tones in the short, cocoa in the long.
Delicate, rich-toned. Lemon verbena, honeysuckle, cocoa powder, cedar, green grape in aroma and cup. Lively, juicy acidity; crisp, satiny mouthfeel. The sweet, resonant finish is redolent of citrusy herbs and sweet flowers supported by cocoa tones.
Deeply and richly sweet. Dark chocolate, ripe pomegranate, orange zest, roasted pistachio, magnolia-like flowers in aroma and cup. Crisp, sweetly tart acidity; delicate, silky mouthfeel. The sweetly savory finish leads with notes of pomegranate and pistachio in the short, rounding to cocoa tones in the resonant long.
Fruit-toned, roast-rounded. Brown sugar, cherry blossom, ripe blueberry, gently singed cedar, vanilla paste in aroma and cup. Delicate, balanced acidity; round, velvety mouthfeel. Notes of brown sugar, vanilla and blueberry carry the short finish, all of which fade with slow elegance into the long.
Delicate, sweetly tart. Red currant, roasted cacao nib, orange zest, graham cracker, marjoram in aroma and cup. Crisp, balanced acidity; velvety mouthfeel. The finish resonates with flavor, particularly savory-sweet red currant and orange zest in the short. sweet marjoram notes in the long.
Evaluated as espresso. Bright, chocolaty, floral-toned. Grapefruit, dark chocolate, hazelnut butter, lavender, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and small cup. Lively, full, velvety mouthfeel; tart, aromatic wood-framed finish. Dark chocolate notes are enlivened in three parts milk, with intimations of lavender-like flowers throughout.
Deeply sweet, richly earth-toned. Pipe tobacco, lime zest, ripe pear, freesia, sandalwood in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned, vibrant acidity; very delicate, silky-smooth mouthfeel. The crisp, flavor-saturated finish leads with notes of pipe tobacco in the short, sweetening toward ripe pear and spice-toned florals in the long.
