Espresso Reviews

Ken (92) enjoyed this espresso considerably more than did co-taster Byron Holcomb (89). The reason may have been their differing reactions to the influence of a fruity fermented character that Ken read as pleasingly brandy-like and Byron as dry white wine at best, bitterish seed-and-skin, muscadine grape at worst. Similarly, Ken was more positive toward a fresh-cut cedar character in aroma and flavor. Ken did have reservations about finish, where a hint of the heavy, salty side of the fruit ferment showed up. Byron gave the blend a break in four parts milk, where he described its impact as "white grape juice, subtle but nice, clean." For Ken the presence in milk was all good, a "deep brandied chocolate."

For Ken (90) this blend led with the fruity ferment of dried-in-the-fruit coffee, and his assessments reflect his ambivalence toward the type; he read chocolate and an attractive brandyish fruit in the aroma and flavor, but was bothered by a slight, shadow hint of salt. Byron (92) on the other hand read almost all positives in the fruity richness: "dark and spicy flavors blended to a round, sweet, nutty finish that left a post-ice-cream mouthfeel. The body was syrupy and sweet. Powerful, dark-chocolate presence in milk, with a slight salt or bitter edge. Byron concludes: "Strange blend name, great espresso."

Co-taster Byron Holcomb (92) found more going on aromatically in this poised, balanced espresso than did Ken (89). Byron: "Aroma notes of brandy, honey and walnut yielded [to] flavors of passion fruit and orange bitters. The aftertaste was ? dry with notes of bakers' cocoa. In milk, some of the great spice notes showed: cinnamon, coriander, allspice."

"Exciting" espresso for co-taster Byron Holcomb (91) with a shifty, hard-to-read complexity in aroma and small cup. "Fruit, chocolate, salty/sweet" for Byron, "butter, nut, cedar, earth" for Ken (90). Medium-bodied, with a long, rich, though slightly astringent finish. But comes into its own in four parts milk, where the ambiguity smoothes, fattens and becomes all good: in Byron's reading, "milk cocoa with lots of spice notes: ginger, herb, allspice, clove."

Complex espresso with a savory-sweet character and a wide sensory range. Co-taster Byron Holcomb (91) associated the savory-sweet tendencies with Southern comfort food, but for those who don't know sweet collard greens and carrots in butter he helpfully elaborates: The aroma displays "honey, clove and green veggies," the body is heavy, the flavor in the small cup "light and bright with nice notes of sweet and sour." Ken (91) more prosaically reads a smoky, slightly salty pungency complicated by lively floral-fruit top notes. Fades slightly in four parts milk but retains a pleasing floral and savory vegetable character complicating the usual milk-influenced chocolate.

A balanced, gently rich espresso. For co-taster Byron Holcomb (91) "red wine" in the aroma and tart jam and boysenberry in the flavor. Ken (89) read the sweetness as caramelly rather than fruit-toned and the dry notes as aromatic wood and leather. Both found the body on the light side but the mouthfeel pleasingly smooth. Rich finishing; Byron picked up lavender as the mouthfeel faded. Four parts milk plumped up the body; Byron read "granola with fruit, cranberry in particular."

Both Ken (90) and co-taster Byron Holcomb (89) enjoyed this blend's natural sweetness. Ken found the sweetness balanced by a "gentle pungency," which could have been another term for what Byron described as dry berry or black currant notes. The aroma was delicate and "floral" (Byron), the mouthfeel buttery for Ken and nectar-like for Byron. Nicely balanced and gently chocolaty in four parts hot milk.

Sweet, deep, crisp aroma: aromatic wood, toast, hints of flowers and tropical fruit. In the small cup big body, slightly rough but deeply syrupy mouthfeel, notes of flowers, dark chocolate, banana- or coconut-toned fruit. Sweet, rich, flavor-saturated finish. Crisply chocolaty in milk, though it does not completely open and bloom.

Aromatic notes of chocolate and toast, with hints of vanilla and flowers. In the small cup, a lightly syrupy body with complex flavors of berries, stone fruit, caramel, licorice and smoke and a long, mildly roasty, mildly astringent finish. Sweetens and simplifies in milk with pronounced caramel notes and hints of nut and milk chocolate.

Deep aroma: sweet nut, hints of orange, toast and vanilla. Smooth, buttery mouthfeel and pungent flavors of cedar, more orange and caramel, toasted grains and a hint of flowers. The sweet nut tone returns in the finish. The subtle flavors found in the small cup turn subdued in milk, limited to a mild, milky chocolate and toasted nut; finishing with a fine sweetness but a hint of astringency.

Evaluated as espresso. Delicate if rather subdued aromas of flowers, toast, chocolate and vanilla. In the small cup, a lightly syrupy mouthfeel, flavors of orange, tart berry and pungent cedar, sweetening and rounding with hints of caramel toward the finish. Finishes cleanly, with dark chocolate, sweet lemon and mild floral notes. In two parts milk, crisp with some sweetness, citrus and nut.

Subtle aroma: fruit, toast and nut. Full body, smooth mouthfeel and tight-knit, balanced flavors ranging from tart lemon to sweet cherry, with hints of caramel. Toasty sweetness in the finish turns toward cocoa in the long. Continued balanced complexity in milk, with distinct notes of cherry, nut and chocolate.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. Chocolate-toned fruit and leather in the aroma. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The leather turns toward aromatic wood and the chocolate and cherry fruit notes deepen in the cup. Simple, slightly astringent finish. Sweetens but maintains crisp presence in two parts milk.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. Subdued aroma: vaguely sweet, some leather and cherryish chocolate. In the small cup lean-tending but lightly syrupy mouthfeel, sweet with aromatic wood notes rounding toward a crisp dark chocolate. Sweetly rich short finish saturated with dark chocolate fades toward a slight astringency in the long. In two parts milk light-bodied but balanced in flavor with milk-rounded dark chocolate and aromatic wood notes.

Evaluated based on a one-ounce shot produced from a Nespresso capsule on a matching Nespresso www brewer. Deep, sweetly pungent aroma: hints of tropical fruit (papaya?), dark chocolate. In the small cup medium body, rather dense, syrupy mouthfeel, and a balanced, perhaps simple flavor: continued dark chocolate, hints of aromatic wood and a gently pungent fruit that reads as date or perhaps raisin. Rich, flavor-saturated finish. Balanced presence in two parts milk: cocoa-toned, though perhaps a bit too lean in mouthfeel.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. Fresh, bright aroma: flowers, cherryish fruit, just-cut fir, leather. In the small cup lean mouthfeel with continued refreshing, gently acidy fruit notes and hints of flowers, fir and milk chocolate, all of which carry into a clean, sweet finish. This bright, rather delicate blend is subdued in two parts milk, although a crisp, muted chocolate is pleasant.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. Aromatic wood, leather, tartly cherryish chocolate and delicate floral top notes carry from aroma through demitasse to finish. Leanish mouthfeel. In two parts milk caramelly dark chocolate and a continued suggestion of cherry-toned fruit.

Evaluated based on a one-ounce shot produced from a Nespresso capsule on a matching Nespresso D290 brewer. Bright, fruit- (cherry-?) toned aroma with a hint of flowers. In the small cup smoothly balanced, medium in body, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Aromatic wood, cherryish fruit, citrus, cocoa. Clean, sweet, lemon-toned finish, very slightly astringent. Delicate to a fault in two parts milk: The citrus hints turn more prominent, backgrounding the cocoa and lower acid fruit.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. An apparently balanced robusta and Arabica blend hampered by pods that at best netted a 20-second shot. Nevertheless, rich, deep aroma with a buttery or caramelly nut and bananaish fruit. In the small cup lean mouthfeel and short finish, but quite sweet: pungent nut, hints of chocolate and ripe, slightly fermented fruit. Even sweeter in milk, with a cocoaish chocolate inclination.

Produced from an ESE pod on a FrancisFrancis! pod brewer. The low-acid wood and nut character of robusta dominates. Surprisingly lean mouthfeel, but the woody nut notes hint nicely at chocolate in the small cup and turn sweetly rich in the finish. Blooms nicely in milk with a gently fat dark chocolate character.