Espresso Reviews

In the small cup rather stingy in body, sharp, without nuance. Milk softens the sharp tones, however, allowing the coffee to develop beautifully, with rich fruit and floral notes leaning toward chocolate. (84 straight espresso, 89 w/milk)

Fermented, wine-like fruit notes agreeably dominate the small cup, though they are shadowed by bitterness, particularly in the finish. The bitterness turns pleasantly bittersweet in cappuccino-sized milk, and flat-out gloriously sweet and chocolate-fruit-toned in big milk. (86 straight espresso, 90 w/milk)

In the small cup full and buttery in body, in flavor grainy, sharply malty/musty, with dry, pleasing cherry-like fruit notes. Cappuccino-quantities of milk sweeten the profile, accentuating the fruit and turning the grainy tones pleasantly nut-like. At its best in big milk, where it its fat, buttery body masters the dairy with pure weight and character rather than with bitterness. (86 straight espresso, 90 w/milk)

Smooth, medium-to-full bodied and richly balanced in the small cup, discreetly complicated by crisp leather and dry chocolate notes. Slightly astringent in the finish. Milk amplifies the dry chocolate tones, which turn hearty and bittersweet in short milk drinks and voluptuously sweet in taller. (87 straight espresso, 88 w/milk)

In the small cup intense and rather lean-bodied but richly sweet, complicated by dry fruit notes and shimmers of flowers and chocolate. In milk smooth, sweet and toasty with a lushly chocolate-toned finish. (87 straight espresso, 88 w/milk)

An appealing combination of orange, chocolate, and floral notes shimmer in the small cup, though shadowed by a roasty sharpness. Milk rounds the cup nicely, however, turning the citrus and floral notes into a crisp, toasty chocolate. Fades slightly in big milk. (87 straight espresso, 89 w/milk)

Cloyingly sweet and sharply musty - imagine the taste of mildewed nuts left sitting in a damp basement closet for a few weeks. The musty tones hint at cocoa but don't come through.

The demitasse confirms the bag copy: This is an intense blend. Intensely sweet, but even more intensely bitter; a strong gesture but a simple one. Softens and rounds a bit in milk, but maintains its bitter edge.

Superb aroma: rich, sweet, opulent with cocoa, flowers, and vanilla. A touch disappointing in the demitasse, however; the body is rather lean and the flavor acidy and sharp. But the sharpness rounds beautifully in milk with a lovely balance of dry cocoa tones and sweetness.

A balanced, straightforward West-Coast American espresso. In the demitasse bittersweet with a slant toward the bitter side, complicated by brisk cocoa tones. Medium-bodied but smooth. The cocoa tones turn agreeably fruity in milk, where the shot softens without losing character.

This espresso, dominated by a musty flavor, showed best at a rather quick extraction, which encouraged the mustiness to read as crisply effervescent, exhilaratingly spicy cocoa. Extremely heavy body and rich crema. Carries very well in milk.

Clean, elegant, balanced. Fragrant with toast, nut, and caramel notes in aroma, suave in body. The straightforward balance of bitter and sweet tones in the demitasse is complicated by the slightest edge of floral acidity and dry fruit. Light, bright and sweet in milk.

The aroma is clean and high-toned with innuendo of fresh leather. The demitasse is complex but controlled, with a classic balance of sweetness and bitterness embellished by cocoa and nut notes and a crisp shimmer of acidity. In discreet amounts of milk seductive with caramel and cocoa tones.

Impressive complexity: high, sweet notes, caramel in the middle, crisp, edge-of-burned tones, a touch of floral acidity. Excellent body. Pungent, bitter tones propose sugar for the demitasse, but give this blend tremendous staying power in milk, where it blossoms with little loss of range or complexity.

Aromatic and gently complex. Delicate, sweet-vanilla nose. In the demitasse smooth, balanced body and well-nuanced flavor, with pungent chocolate modulating to sweet chocolate in the finish. Slight fruit flourishes. Tends to fade in milk, but retains a light, pleasingly fruity chocolate character.

Levitating with sweetness, clean, complete, balanced, powerful yet elegant, this blend displays tremendous development and dimension. By development I mean the profile transforms in subtle modulations from aroma through aftertaste -- in this case from chocolate and toast notes in aroma and cup to sweet spice tones in finish. Dimension means sensations resonate and expand in nose and on palate rather than standing pat at first impression. In milk this blend remains pleasantly nutty-sweet and complete, but surrenders the complexity and intensity it displayed in the demitasse.

In the demitasse this blend is complexly crisp and pungent; richly dry chocolate notes are supported by an understated sweetness. Perhaps the heavy, smoothly balanced body accounts for the splendid impact this coffee makes in milk. The dairy relaxes the crisp chocolate notes and the coffee richly suffuses the milk rather than penetrating it.

A distinct bouquet of floral and fruit notes enlivens and complicates the chocolate-vanilla Espresso sweetness while freshening and brightening the aftertaste. Altogether a rather remarkable Espresso: sweet, fragrant, and virtually without carbon or bitterness. Fades a bit in milk.

The clear winner in the tasting, perhaps because it showed pungent dark-roast character without losing sweetness or complexity to carbon. Distinct chocolate notes, good dimension, substantial body, smooth balance of bitter and sweet tones, although the bitterness does get the upper hand in the aftertaste. Fills out nicely in milk without losing authority or complexity.

This remarkably light, self-effacing blend displays no acidity and no bitterness. Only the slightest carbon astringency surfaces in the aftertaste. Unfortunately, this tribute to subtlety doesn't display much power or complexity either -- only an evanescent caramel-chocolate sweetness, which loses its way almost completely in milk.