Natural/Dry Reviews

Grandly fruit-toned, extravagant. Complex, layered fruit (guava, grapefruit, berry), sweet cocoa, brandy, lush, rose-like flowers in aroma and cup. Rich, tart, juicy acidity; big, syrupy mouthfeel. Sweet, deeply flavor-saturated short finish; very slightly fading and alcohol-edged in the long.

Very sweet, brandy-toned. Black cherry, brandy, rose-like flowers, ripe orangy citrus in aroma and cup. Juicy, vivacious acidity; syrupy but lively mouthfeel. Cherry and floral notes carry into a sweet-toned though rather short, drying finish.

Immense and lavish. Blueberry, guava, dark chocolate, a hint of cognac, musky, carnal flowers in aroma and cup. Richly pungent acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Guava and chocolate in particular carry into a mildly drying but deeply flavor-saturated finish.

Richly and lavishly pungent. Blackberry, black currant, dark chocolate, musky flowers in aroma and cup. Low-toned but vibrant acidity; lightly syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Distinct dark chocolate and berry notes carry into a long, clean, sweet-toned finish.

Deep, sweet, richly fermenty. Blueberry and blackberry, dark chocolate, Bourbon whisky and carnal, sweetly heavy floral notes in aroma and cup. Round, backgrounded acidity; heavy mouthfeel. The finish is richly resonant with an edgy overripe fruit.

Honey, blueberry, jasmine and a clean, rye-whisky-like note in aroma and cup. Rich, balanced acidity; syrupy but lively mouthfeel. The floral and whisky notes in particular last in a sweet-toned finish.

Crisply sweet, exhilaratingly complex. Peach, mint, lily, roasted cacao nib, a hint of rye whisky in aroma and cup. The acidity is breathtakingly sweet and buoyantly light-footed; the mouthfeel full but lively. Flavor consolidates but rings on in a long, gentle finish.

Crisply sweet, refreshing, gently complex. Ripe tangerine, cherry, honey, fresh-cut cedar, hints of port wine and dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Lightly rich acidity; lightly syrupy, lively mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but still saturates a gently drying finish.

Chocolaty and spicy. Roasted cacao nib, fresh-cut cedar, flowers, a hint of paprika-like spice in aroma and cup. Richly balanced acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The chocolate-related notes carry deeply into a sweet, gently drying finish.

Complex, gently pungent, lively. Floral honey, roasted cacao nib, hints of bourbon whisky and blueberry in aroma and cup. Deep, rounded acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The cacao nib and a hint of honeyish flowers carry into a quietly resonant finish.

Lightly tart, juicy, citrusy. Tangerine, green grape, honeysuckle, sweet chocolate in aroma and cup. Richly bright but balanced acidity; light, velvety mouthfeel. Some citrus, flowers and chocolate carry into a balanced finish.

Pungent, spicy. Cinnamon, sweet spice, roasted cacao nib, a rounding hint of butter in aroma and cup. Rich, balanced acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Some cinnamon and spice notes carry into a drying finish.

Juicy, extravagant, deep. Strawberry, port wine, crisp cedar, flowers, vanilla-toned orange in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart, lively acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor consolidates but persists in a sweet, citrusy finish.

Exhilaratingly aromatic: sandalwood, rose-like flowers, roasted cacao nib, açai and banana, a hint of rye whisky. Rich, complexly expressed acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. A savory hint implicit in the rest of the profile surfaces to deepen a long, rich, flavor-saturated finish.

Rich, deep, brandy-toned. Brandy, rose-like flowers, dark chocolate, pineapple-like fruit in aroma and in immense, opulent cup. Roundly rich acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Rather heavy finish, though the extravagance of the cup is worth it.

Evaluated as espresso. Both Ken (93) and his co-taster (91) admired the wine-like intensity of this dried-in-the-fruit profile, though Ken read more complexity, in particular floral top notes, in flavor and finish. Both tasters cited a creamy mouthfeel and consistent finish. Especially impressive in three parts milk, where the shot bloomed with a complex expression of fruit-toned chocolate.

Evaluated as espresso. Ken (92) showed considerably more enthusiasm for this intense dried-in-the-fruit profile than his only mildly respectful co-taster (89). The co-taster associated the usual fermented fruit notes with wine and spiced cider, Ken with bourbon whisky (which he likes). The co-taster found the fermented fruit notes complicated by “sweet hay and malt,” Ken by a more decisive “fresh-cut cedar.” Ken rated the lightly syrupy, perhaps buttery mouthfeel a bit higher than did his co-taster. Both found the shot pleasantly chocolaty in three parts milk, additionally nuanced by malt for the co-taster, by cedar for Ken.

Crisply sweet, intensely complex. Honey, brandy, apricot, brandy, citrus flower, a hint of walnut in aroma and cup. Round, brandyish acidity; very lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Honey and walnut in particular persist in a deeply flavor-saturated, gently drying finish.

Sweet, deep, fermenty. Very ripe blueberry and strawberry, minty dark chocolate, brandy, walnut in aroma and cup. Round, rich acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. A savory edge in the cup turns more prominent in a drying finish.

Intense, heady blueberry and lush, lily-like flowers with deepening suggestions of cedar and brandy in aroma and cup, and a savory hint in the cup. Impressive structure: sweet-toned acidity; full syrupy mouthfeel. The finish is sweet and blueberry-toned with a continuing savory edge.