Dark Reviews

Evaluated as espresso. Deeply sweet, caramelly. Golden raisin, dark caramel, hazelnut, rhododendron, oak in aroma and cup. Satiny-smooth mouthfeel; the crisp, caramelly finish is complicated by notes of fresh-cut oak. Balanced and complete in three parts milk with deep caramel and sweet hazelnut notes.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly bittersweet, gently chocolaty. Dried apricot, cocoa powder, fresh-cut cedar, almond, magnolia in aroma and small cup. Plump, creamy mouthfeel; cocoa- and cedar-toned finish. Three parts milk amplifies cocoa, apricot and magnolia notes, while almond and cedar provide pleasing structural undertones.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly sweet-savory, unapologetically earth-toned. Pipe tobacco, dried cherry, hazelnut, caramel, a hint of cumin in aroma and small cup. Plush, velvety mouthfeel; the finish consolidates to hazelnut and a cumin-like spice. Milk quiets the tobacco tones and elevates the dried cherry and sweet hazelnut.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly bittersweet, gently herb-toned. Dried persimmon, macadamia nut, lime zest, scorched maple, rosemary blossom in aroma and small cup. Crisp, satiny mouthfeel; sweetly nutty, herb-toned finish. In three parts milk, both richly sweet (creamy macadamia nut and dried persimmon) and subtly earth-toned (rosemary blossom, scorched maple).

Evaluated as espresso. Crisply sweet, cocoa-driven. Cocoa nib, tangerine zest, pipe tobacco, alyssum, maple syrup in aroma and small cup. Richly smooth, satiny mouthfeel; crisp, cocoa-toned finish with undertones of pipe tobacco. In three parts milk, complex and floral — think cocoa nib with edible flowers.

Evaluated as espresso. Integrated, cocoa-and floral-toned. Cocoa powder, star jasmine, toffee, dried plum, clove in aroma and small cup. Juicy, lightly satiny mouthfeel; cocoa-driven finish with undertones of sweet clove. In three parts milk, spice-dominant (think clove and fresh-cut thyme) with understated but ever-present cocoa.

Evaluated as espresso. Richly chocolaty, nut-toned. Chocolate fudge, pistachio, gardenia, scorched mesquite, molasses in aroma and small cup. Full, creamy mouthfeel; chocolaty, pleasingly smoky-sweet finish. In three parts milk, think Snicker’s bar with extra caffeine.

Evaluated as espresso. Complex, multilayered, cerebral. Dark chocolate, petrichor, ripe pluot, tiger lily, pink peppercorn in aroma and small cup. Lush, syrupy mouthfeel; crisp, rich-toned finish. Layers of aroma and flavor in three parts milk, from sweet pluot and dark chocolate to spice-toned tiger lily and pink peppercorn in the finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Dark chocolate, Concord grape, scorched sugarcane, sandalwood, wisteria in aroma and small cup. Viscous, syrupy mouthfeel; richly chocolaty, sweetly smoky finish with floral depth. In three parts milk, decadent perfection: layers of undulating chocolate, wisteria and scorched sugarcane carry far into the long finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Chocolaty and richly bittersweet. Green apple, baking chocolate, black walnut, scorched allspice, fresh-cut fir in aroma and small cup. Delicate, smooth mouthfeel; punchy, chocolate- and walnut-toned finish. Three parts milk elevates both chocolate and spice and adds lily-like flowers to the profile.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweetly roast-toned, richly chocolaty and deep. Dark chocolate, black cherry, almond extract, marjoram, cedar in aroma and small cup. Creamy, viscous mouthfeel; chocolaty and fruit-driven finish. Chocolate explodes in three parts milk, supported by notes of black cherry and cedar with a hint of sweet marjoram.

Evaluated as espresso. Bold, roasty-sweet, floral-toned. Magnolia, hazelnut butter, dark chocolate, date, fresh-cut oak in aroma and small cup. Syrupy-smooth mouthfeel; crisp, floral-toned, chocolaty finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Bold, sweetly roast-toned, chocolaty. Dark chocolate, rhododendron, raisin, scorched oak, molasses in aroma and small cup. Velvety mouthfeel; gently drying, roasty-sweet finish with dark chocolate and scorched oak undertones. The milk shot is both floral and chocolaty, supported by notes of raisin and molasses.

Sweetly roast-toned, chocolaty. Dark chocolate, lily, vanilla, dried fig, scorched cedar in aroma and cup. Bittersweet-savory structure; crisp yet velvety mouthfeel. Dark chocolate notes lead in the finish, rounding to dried fruit and vanilla notes in the long.

Evaluated as espresso. Roast-rounded, chocolaty. Dark chocolate, gardenia, gently scorched cedar, molasses, prune in aroma and small cup. Viscous, creamy mouthfeel; chocolaty, slightly smoky finish. In three parts milk, floral and chocolate notes preside.

Deeply sweet, chocolaty. Chocolate fudge, magnolia, almond brittle, gently scorched sandalwood, marshmallow in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with gentle, round acidity; full, creamy mouthfeel. Chocolaty finish with almond and sandalwood undertones.

Evaluated as espresso. Deep-toned, chocolaty and rich. Dark chocolate, hazelnut, gently scorched cedar, raisin, gardenia-like flowers in aroma and small cup. Full, creamy mouthfeel; chocolaty, wood-framed finish. Milk amplifies both dark chocolate and hazelnut notes in a richly sweet presentation.

Smoky-sweet, chocolaty. Scorched mesquite, dark chocolate, gardenia, vanilla, roasted almond in aroma and cup. Sweet-toned with brisk acidity; light, delicate mouthfeel. Smoky chocolate notes are supported by scorched mesquite and gardenia in the finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Chocolaty and nut-toned. Chocolate fudge, dark chocolate, raisin, gently scorched cedar, gardenia in aroma and small cup. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel; gently drying, wood-framed finish. Chocolate notes re-surface in three parts milk, along with gardenia-like florals.

Chocolaty, sweetly smoky. Dark chocolate, scorched mesquite, lily, raisin, hazelnut in aroma and cup. Bittersweet structure with gentle acidity; crisp, light mouthfeel. Bittersweet finish with notes of chocolate and scorched mesquite.