Central America Reviews
We found 1367 reviews for Central America. The reviews below appear in reverse chronological order by review date. Older reviews may no longer accurately reflect current versions of the same coffee.
For most the acidity was the main act here. Some found it pleasantly bright ("nice, winy and sharp," according to one); others complained it was too sharp, throwing off the balance of the coffee, and perhaps astringent in the aftertaste. Supporting virtue: Most found this coffee substantial in body. "An excellent example of a Guatemala," according to one. But judging from the scores, the majority may harbor reservations.
This Antigua was nearly everyone's favorite, and probably the only coffee in the cupping to display genuine refinement as well as intrigue and power. Exclamation points littered the cupping forms. One enthusiastic (and very experienced) cupper confessed he "subscribed to the Olympic gymnastics scoring system" and assigned this coffee tens across the board and an overall score of 100. (However, like the Olympics, we dropped the highest and lowest scores for each coffee, so this heartfelt tribute went for naught).Positive comments ranged from the generally approving ("best of the litter"; "very Guatemala") to characterizations of completeness, complexity, or dimension ("Depth, depth depth! Spice comes in on back end. Very nice!"). Assessments of body extended from medium through full, but everyone agreed that there was enough of it to balance the coffee ("medium body but perfect for its flavor!"). To me the clinching evidence of this coffee's distinction came in the nuances discovered in its sweetly acidy top notes. Descriptions ran from winy (five citations), fruity/floral (also five), through prune, blueberry, and "floral berry." One found the flavor reminiscent of fresh leather. No one uncovered defects. The only cupper who dissented on this coffee found the acidity too sharp.
Most found this Antigua a bit underpowered, perhaps owing to its relatively light body (noted by almost everyone). Some found compensating virtues: chocolaty, spicy, nutty notes. Others praised a soft, sweet smoothness. Still others objected: "a bit lifeless"; "not so happening"; "thin"; and most Originsal, "straightlaced[!]". Only two found outright failings: a slight sourness. One delivered an inspired characterization of the subtle fragrance: "Dancing on fruity."
Defects apparently consigned this rather heavy-bodied, low-toned Antigua to the bottom of the cupping-form pile. Some found its low-toned heaviness flat; others, however, liked it. Several called the profile "sweet"; another "solid." One cupper raved: "Great cup. Very good body and flavor." Another puzzled: "Aspects don't gel, even though it has good flavor." Three cuppers detected sour notes, one going so far as to call the coffee "oniony." Three others found it old-tasting or "baggy," which suggests conditioning or storage problems, a plausible hypothesis for a coffee that suggests power but doesn't come through, that seems oddly dulled or muted.
Virtually everyone described this medium-bodied coffee as soft and sweet. About half of the cuppers reported nutty tones. Some stopped there. "Unremarkable!" exclaimed one. Several, however, also identified a light, high-toned acidity that balanced or complemented the sweetness. For example: "Pleasant soft, sweet acidity -- subtly snappy." Two cuppers detected slightly hard or woody notes in the nose of this coffee, but apparently tasted nothing to confirm the problem in the cup and chose not to push the issue in their responses.
First pungent then complex, the aroma is full of intrigue. We get a bit less in the cup, but given the darkness of the roast what remains is still impressive: enough acidity to keep the body lively, and generally an admirable balance between the qualities of the coffee and the impact of the roast.
This rich, deeply dimensioned, complex version of the great Guatemala profile happily combines clear, wine-toned acidity with satisfying dark-roast pungency. I even detected a hint of the famous Antigua smokiness smoldering somewhere inside the pungency.