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.
Balanced, engaging depth, quiet complexity. Raisiny dark chocolate, ripe tangerine-like citrus, night-blooming flowers, all deepened by a savory hint in the structure. Low-toned but vibrant acidity; smooth, plush mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but persists in a long, gently sweet finish.
Deep, sweetly pungent, intricate. Black currant, jasmine, banana sweetness, minty dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Richly rounded acidity; full, buttery mouthfeel. Flavor, particularly chocolate and black currant, lasts far into the long finish.
Delicate but grandly and exhilaratingly aromatic. Sweet narcissus-like flowers, sandalwood, dark chocolate, orange marmalade in aroma and cup. Crisp, balanced acidity; plush, buoyant mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but deepens in a long, richly drying finish.
Delicate yet richly complex. Roasted cacao nib, sandalwood, blood orange, narcissus, an herby hint of oregano in aroma and cup. Sweetly and gently brisk acidity; light though silky mouthfeel. Cacao nib and sandalwood carry into a crisp finish.
Spicy, chocolaty. Sandalwood, dark chocolate, pluot, narcissus-like flowers in aroma and cup. Intense, richly tart acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The sandalwood and cocoa-like chocolate in particular carry into a deep, flavor-saturated finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Intense; sweetly and roundly bright. Crisply nut-toned chocolate and very sweet, very zesty, very complex citrus (tangerine, lemon) in aroma and small cup. Relatively light in body but surprisingly syrupy in mouthfeel. The bright, fresh citrus carries into a very rich finish and dominates pleasingly in three parts milk; think lemon tart with a rounding suggestion of chocolate.
Sweet-toned, gentle, juicy. Pineapple, sweet chocolate, rum, minty flowers, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Round, richly lively acidity; full, very syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a finish that balances continuing sweetness with a crisp drying edge.
Evaluated as espresso. Rich, complex, gently roasty. Sweet chocolate, raisin, ripe grapefruit, lightly scorched pine, a hint of lush flowers in aroma and small cup. Plush but drying mouthfeel; sweet though quite drying in the finish. Lightly and delicately chocolaty in three parts milk.
Delicate but rich; fine, layered complexity. Lilac, honey, apricot, raspberry, sandalwood, much more in aroma and cup. Gently bright, lively, almost effervescent acidity; lightly syrupy, buoyant mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates, though the floral note in particular persists in a long, resonant finish.
Complex, deep, pungent. Black currant and blackberry; opulent flowers; dark chocolate; hints of fresh herb – black sage, cilantro – in aroma and cup. Powerful, richly tart acidity; plush mouthfeel. Sweet, flavor-saturated finish.
Extraordinarily intense and complexly aromatic coffee. Pungent fruit (grapefruit, black currant); moist pipe tobacco and sweet, freshly turned clay; molasses and chocolate fudge. Round, quietly vibrant acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Richly sweet, powerfully flavor-saturated finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Well-structured, complete, balanced. Dark chocolate, richly aromatic cedar, apricot, tangerine, a hint of honeysuckle in aroma and small cup. Very smooth, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Chocolate carries into a drying but richly sweet finish. Flavor predictably softens but carries with delicate complexity into three parts milk.
Sweetly and deeply pungent; intense but balanced. Peach, plum, black currant, narcissus-like flowers, fresh-cut elm in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet, nuanced acidity; silky, buoyant mouthfeel. Flowers in particular saturate a rich, resonant finish.
Pungent, deeply flavor-saturated. Honey, blood orange, black currant, rhododendron-like flowers in aroma and cup. Richly tart acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but carries far into a pungent, sweet-toned finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Opulent, sweet, carnal. Brown sugar, fresh-cut cedar, rich chocolate, apricot, cinnamon, a hint of narcissus-like flowers in aroma and small cup. Full, syrupy mouthfeel. Flowers, chocolate and cinnamon in particular saturate a crisp finish. Flavor softens but carries relatively intact into three parts milk.
Intense, sweetly complex, dramatic. Honey, jasmine, peach, mango, a crisp hint of roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Buoyant, lyric acidity; silky, lively mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but rings on and on in a very long finish.
Intensely floral, deeply complex. Rose- and lavender-like flowers, honey, cacao nib, apricot, a delicate hint of cashew in aroma and cup. Gently buoyant, lively acidity, light but very silky mouthfeel. Lavender and cashew in particular persist in a sweet-toned, balanced finish.
Fruit notes are layered and shifting: tangerine, guava, strawberry, more, complicated by honeyish floral notes and a crisp, nutty roasted cacao nib. Juicy, lively acidity; silky mouthfeel. Flowers in particular saturate a long, resonant finish.
Balanced, suave, lightly pungent. Honeyish chocolate, lily-like flowers, pineapple, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Richly and roundly tart acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Crisp, gently chocolate-toned finish.
Balanced in structure but extravagant in flavor and aroma. Complex fruit, crisp roasted cacao nib, agave syrup, bourbon whisky, honeysuckle-like flowers in aroma and cup. Round, resonant acidity; silky mouthfeel. Vibrantly deep, flavor-saturated finish, with cacao-nib, bourbon and agave notes particularly prominent.
