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 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.
Immensely rich and complex. Blood orange, black currant, dark chocolate, sandalwood, a hint of flowers in aroma and cup. Resonantly balanced, floral-toned acidity. Plush, lively mouthfeel. Deeply flavor-saturated finish.
Intense and unmistakable Kenya character: dry yet sweet synthesis of pungent black currant, blackberry and fresh-cut cedar; backgrounded hints of lush night-blooming flowers, lemon, black sage. Big, sweetly brisk acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The Kenya flavor complex deeply saturates a long, rich finish.
Gently bright, sweetly intense. Honey, grapefruit, lilac, cocoa butter in aroma and cup. Juicy, floral-toned acidity; silky mouthfeel. The grapefruit note and a more explicit chocolate dominate in a cleanly sweet finish.
Intense, rich, pungent. Blood orange, black currant, fresh-cut fir, plum blossom in aroma and in cup, where a slight savory, truffle-like edge deepens and complicates flavor. Powerful but opulently balanced acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Resonant, gently drying, flavor-saturated finish.
Deeply but vivaciously expressed complexity. Raspberry-like fruit, roasted cacao nib, honey, narcissus-like flowers, a hint of pungent sandalwood in aroma and cup. Round, juicy acidity; syrupy yet lively mouthfeel. Long, rich, flavor-saturated finish.
Evaluated as espresso. Deep, shifting complexity. Dark chocolate, hazelnut, a hint of night-blooming flowers in aroma and small cup. An apricot-like note in the aroma brightens and turns delicately citrusy in the small cup and in a sweetly drying, chocolate-toned finish. Buoyant, creamy mouthfeel. Chocolate dominates in three parts milk, crisply sweet and nut-toned.
Crisply sweet, deep. Dark chocolate, hazelnut, cherry, anise, night-blooming flowers in aroma and small cup. Full, velvety mouthfeel; flavor simplifies but carries into a balanced finish. Delicately complex and sweet in three parts milk: chocolate, hints of cherry, nut and flowers.
Delicate yet intense; distinctive aromatics. Minty floral notes, sweet chocolate, hints of blueberry and rye whisky in aroma and cup. Gentle but buoyantly vivacious acidity; lively, silky mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but persists in a slightly drying, whisky-toned finish.
