Best Value Coffees Reviews

Evaluated as espresso. Brightly juicy, sweetly floral. Honey, tangerine, red-currant jelly, lilac, backgrounded chocolate fudge in aroma and small cup. Full, syrupy mouthfeel. The finish, sweet and richly drying, consolidates around citrus and chocolate. Smoothly bright and balanced in three parts milk – delicate chocolate, creamy citrus, a continuing hint of flowers.

Round, deep, vibrant. Concord grape, blood orange, molasses, pecan, lily-like flowers in aroma and cup. Richly tart, juicy acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Fruit, flowers and nut all carry into a resonant finish.

Very sweet, delicately pungent. Red currant, spicy rose, fresh-cut cedar, vanilla in aroma and cup. Lightly bright, gently lively acidity; satiny mouthfeel. The spicy rose and red currant carry into a crisply sweet-toned finish.

Delicate but deep. Sweet lemon drop, complex flowers (lavender, rose) almond, peach in aroma and cup. Rich, sweetly tart acidity; full, velvety mouthfeel. Lemon, peach and almond in particular carry into a richly drying though flavor-saturated finish.

Monumental yet elegant. Explosive aromatics: Papaya and orange, baker’s chocolate, sweet layered flowers (lilac, honeysuckle), pungent hints of juniper and myrrh carry intact into the cup. Brisk but juicy acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. A dry chocolate hint in particular carries into a deep, long finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Big, complex, tartly pungent. Co-taster Ethan Hill (93) remarked on deeply expressed flowers, a very slightly fermenty berry note, and a musky, slightly savory hint. Both Ethan and Ken (92) found the cup “richly and sweetly tart,” though Ken apparently found the tart character a bit less appealing than did Ethan. Mouthfeel was “plush” (Ethan), the aftertaste deep and tartly complex for both tasters, though again, Ken would probably have appreciated the cup finishing on a slightly rounder note. In three parts milk both found the tart intensity untamed and “bordering on bracing” (Ethan).

Evaluated as espresso. For both Ken (92) and co-taster Ethan Hill (91) high-toned floral notes and rather bright fruit (nectarine, strawberry) distinguished this complex blend. Very light but buoyant, almost effervescent mouthfeel. Along with fruit and flowers Ken identified a brisk roasted cacao-nib note that for him softened to chocolate in an otherwise rather drying finish. In three parts milk Ethan felt the floral character was muted and the acidity too assertive and out of balance; Ken, on the other hand, found the brisk cacao-and-flowers complex rather pleasing in milk.

Deeply resonant, pungent. Black currant, apricot, hints of dark chocolate and wisteria-like flowers in aroma and cup. Crisply sweet acidity; satiny mouthfeel. A slight savory edge deepens and complicates a sweet finish.

Lush, intricate, with a deep, cushiony sweetness. Lavishly complex floral notes – cherry blossom, lavender, saffron, more – complicated by mulberry, tangerine and a crisp roasted cacao nib. Round, floral-toned acidity; plush, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor, particularly the floral notes, sustain in a long, balanced, lightly drying finish.

Quiet, vibrant, dry, deep. Butternut squash, dried peach, coconut, orange blossom, hints of earth and fir in aroma and cup. Roundly balanced, deeply expressed acidity; light but very silky mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a sweet though simple finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Vibrantly rich, sweet, intense. Chocolate fudge, passion-fruit, mango, jasmine, sandalwood in aroma and small cup. Smooth, silky mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates around cocoa and sandalwood in a resonant, slightly drying finish. Chocolate dominates in three parts milk with continued hints of passion-fruit and mango.

Rich, low-toned, gently pungent. Dark chocolate, oak, sage-like herb, spicy, nasturtium-like flowers in aroma and cup. Sweetly brisk acidity; light but plush mouthfeel. Sage and a hint of chocolate carry into a crisp finish.

Sweetly crisp, balanced. Caramel, roasted cacao nib, walnut, wisteria-like flowers, a hint of port wine in aroma and cup. Gently brisk acidity; light, crisply smooth mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates around nut, flowers and port wine suggestions in a sweet but lightly drying finish.

Quietly rich, savory/sweet. Dark chocolate, black currant, black sage, blood orange, a black-truffle-like hint in aroma and cup. Plump, deep-toned acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Roundly resonant, flavor-saturated finish.

Sweetly bright, balanced, classic. Ripe tangerine, apricot, honeysuckle-like flowers, hazelnut, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. Delicate, lively acidity; lightly plush mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a gently tart, richly balanced finish.

Round, very sweet, suavely balanced. Pluot, roasted cacao nib, brown sugar, violet-like flowers in aroma and cup. Round, juicy acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Cacao nib and brown sugar in particular carry into an ongoing sweet, resonant finish.

Gently and sweetly tart; classic. Tangerine, rhododendron-like flowers, hazelnut, raisin in aroma and cup. Tart but juicy acidity; plush, buoyant mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates in a continued tart yet sweet finish.

Deep, sweet-toned, balanced. Hazelnut, raspberry, roasted cacao nib, honeysuckle-like flowers in aroma and cup. Richly pungent acidity; lively, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Nut and raspberry carry into a sweet, resonant finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Deep, pungent, cedary. Fudgy dark chocolate, fresh-cut cedar, peach, hints of wisteria and vanilla in aroma and small cup. Creamy mouthfeel; cedar and chocolate carry into a rather drying finish. Particularly fine in three parts milk, where the chocolate richly dominates, nuanced by continued peach and cedar suggestions.

Crisp, quietly juicy. Orange, roasted cacao nib, caramel, wisteria-like flowers, a brisk hint of peppermint in aroma and cup. Gently bright, fruit-toned acidity; satiny mouthfeel. Flavor, particularly an orangy chocolate, saturates a richly drying finish.