My name came up for our Staff Picks selection this time around, and I had fun re-tasting these coffees, each quite different!
To be honest, I approached my selections a bit randomly! Why? Because I have already selected the coffees we are selling so they are already all my favorites! But also, I like a broad range of coffees. I don’t want them all to taste the same. I just want them to have something unique about them, some character! (Sure, there are two Peru’s, but they present quite differently!).
It’s a bit funny that 2 of the 4 I chose are not “extreme” coffees though, but really approachable “crowd-pleasers.” But they also have unique characteristics as well.
One of the outliers here is the EthiopiaEthiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, or a coffee cultivar: Ethiopia, or more specifically the Empire under Haile Selassie, was known as Abyssinia. The name is Latin, derived from..., one of the most uniquely intense wet-process selections from the “birthplace of arabicaArabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the taxonomic species name of the genus responsible for around 75% of the worlds commercial coffee crop.: Arabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the... coffee” that we have had this year. Keramo is really high altitude coffee from the greater Bensa area, and it shows in the cup. It’s a huge contrast from the other 3 selections.
The other is the dry processDry process coffee is a method for taking the fruit from the tree to an exportable green bean. The whole intact coffee cherry is dried in the sun... ParainemaParainema is a hybrid with some disease resistance developed in Honduras by IHCAFE (Instituto Hondureño del Café). It is related to Sarchimor, another disease-resisitant type. Both have arabica... varietyA botanical variety is a rank in the taxonomic hierarchy below the rank of species and subspecies and above the rank of form (form / variety / subspecies... from HondurasHonduran coffee was absent from the top ranks of the Specialty market, but that has changed. It has all the environmental factors on its side: soil, altitude, climate..... It’s one of those coffees where I really feel the flavor of the coffee cultivarCultivar is a term used interchangeably with Varietal in the coffee trade to indicate plant material, although there are distinctions.: The naming of a cultivar should conform to... comes through in the cup, even with heavier dry process fruitiness. Lighter roasts showed lively tea notes that lent an aromatic, delicate aspect to the heavier rusticA general characterization of pleasantly "natural" flavors, less sophisticated and less refined, but appealing. : What is Rustic? This is a general term we came up with... Dried... dried fruit flavors.
Here are my full notes on the coffees in this tasting, and the last column are our combined notes from when we launched these coffees on the site.
| Name | Code | Dry Frag. | Aromatics | Score | My taste notes | Our SM general notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras Dry Process Sabillon Parainema | 7106 | The dry fragranceIn the cupping procedure for tasting and scoring coffee, this is the smell of the dry, ground coffee before hot water is added. The term fragrance is used... has an intense sweetnessSweetness is an important positive quality in fine coffees, and is one of five basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Savory (Umami). In coffee, sweetness is a highly..., natural dried fruits supported by honeyIn coffee, honey-like sweetness is often found, but we use terms such as refined honey (highly filtered and processed) as opposed to raw honey rustic honey sweetness. This... | Bittersweetness seems subdued at this level, and rustic dark fruit notes come on strong. | 87.5 | I feel like the variety (parainema) really speaks in this cup. Fruit flavors show slight rustic side tempered by honey sweetness, and interesting tea-likeA term used to describe coffees with light, tannic, slighly astringent mouthfeel and tea aromatics. We find it in some Rwandan flavor profiles, among others. zest that hits on green tea and Sencha. The weight of this coffee, mouthfeelHow a coffee feels in the mouth or its apparent texture, a tactile sensation : A major component in the flavor profile of a coffee, it is a... is impressive. | Aromatic cup, notes of rustic dried fruits like slab apricot and blueberryBlueberry flavors in coffee take different forms. Dried blueberry was something we first encountered in natural Harar coffee from Ethiopia. It seemed to be most potent in fresh..., ginseng tea with honey, a fruitedIn some coffee taster’s lexicon, “fruity” means the coffee is tainted with fruit, and “fruited” means a coffee is graced by positive fruit notes. We don't exactly see... wine spritzer hint, maraschino cherryEither a flavor in the coffee, or referring to the fruit of the coffee tree, which somewhat resembles a red cherry.: Either a flavor in the coffee, or... cordials, and earth-toned bittersweetness in the backend. City to Full City. |
| PeruPeruvian coffees have Central American brightness but in a South American coffee flavor package overall. The good organic lots do have more of a "rustic" coffee character.: Organic... OrganicGrown without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.: Organic coffee has been grown according to organic farming techniques, typically without the use of artificial fertilizers. Some farms... FTOFTO is shorthand for a coffee that is certified as both Fair Trade and Organic. Lonya Grande | 7133 | Really nice sweetness in my light roast, less intense fruit but very refined and clean. | Wow, much more fruit than expected, and light brown sugarBrown sugar is a type of sweetness found in coffee ...a sweetness characterized by a hint of molasses, yet quite refined as well. Since Brown sugar of the..., more succinct sweetness all around. | 87 | This Peru seems very fresh and dynamic, while also being a really accessible crowd-pleaser flavor profileFlavor Profile implies a graphical impression of a particular coffee, whether it be an artistic portrait or data graph of the perception of flavor compounds. In the case... too. I get some dried fruit flavors, but also fruited acidityAcidity is a positive flavor attribute in coffee, also referred to as brightness or liveliness. It adds a brilliance to the cup, whereas low acid coffees can seem..., (which is really nice!), and oatmeal cookie with raisin. | Light roasts yield nicely integrated acidity, brown sugar cookie, cinnamon stick/bark, and darker roasts have bean-to-bar quality chocolateA general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of chocolate. But what type? Usually described with more specifics.: Chocolate is a broad, general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of... bittersweetness with an almond hint. City to Full City+City+ roast is an ideal roast level that occurs roughly between 425 and 435 degrees Fahrenheit in many coffee roasters with a responsive bean probe where First Crack.... Good for espressoA small coffee beverage, about 20 ml, prepared on an espresso machine where pressurized hot water extracted through compressed coffee.: In its most stripped-down, basic form, this is.... |
| Peru FTO San Jose de Lourdes | 7134 | Chocolate-covered nut, sweetness augmented by slight savory, like a caramelCaramel is a desirable form of sweetness found in the flavor and aroma of coffee, and is an extension of roast taste. Extremely light or dark coffees will... popcorn ball. | Blondie bar, intensely sweet, chocolate pistachio spread, and a mild spice note. | 87 | Weighty liquid, an apple-like acidity lends to mouthfeel. BittersweetBittersweet is from the language of chocolate, and describes the co-presence of positive bittering compounds balanced by sweetness. It is directly related to caramelization, but has inputs from... balanceSuggests a harmony and proportion of qualities, and implies mildness since no one quality dominates.: Balance is both an obvious and slippery taste term. It implies a harmony... when hot, but opens up to flavor notes of brown sugar, Sharfenberger type dark chocolate bar, and baked appleAn acid that adds to favorable perceptions of cup quality; malic acid often adds apple-like acidity, and perhaps other taste aspects recalling apples. Malic acid is yet another.... | Really nice roast flavors, sugar-backed cocoa, robust chocolate bittersweets with roast development, hints of appleApple-like flavors in coffee can take on many different forms. The more common ones we use relate to malic acid brightness, which can recall different apple types: green... pie filling, bread pudding, raisin, and a note of dark, dried berry. City to Full City. |
| Ethiopia Sidama Keramo | 7081 | Sweet citrus and floralFloral notes in coffee exemplify the connection between taste and smell. Describing the taste of a specific flower is near impossible...we always default to “it tastes like it..., with strawberry syrup sweetness. | this combines citrus, honey and a bit of rue, that unique sweet-aromatic herb, called tenedam in ethiopia | 92 | Next to other “easy drinking” coffees, Keramo sure tastes exotic. But it’s the kind of outsider flavors I can drink all the time. Floral, citrus, berry, fresh green rue. It’s all in there. The honey sweetness brings it together. Wow | Truly a showstopper when roasted light, Keramo’s transparent sweetness helps to reinforce the more delicate top notes like jasmineA very positive and intensely floral quality in coffee, usually with a strong aromatic component, reminiscent of jasmine flower or tea. There are many forms of jasmine; the... pearls, citrus blossom, lilac, lemonLemon notes, as well as other related citrusy flavors or acidities, are prized in coffee. These usually express themselves as a bright accent in the cup, or aromatic... meringue, bergamotBergamot Orange is the size of an orange, with a yellow color similar to a lemon, and has a pleasant fragrance. The juice tastes less sour than lemon,... orangeOrange aromatics and flavors are prized in coffee, whether they take the form of sweet orange flesh and pulp, or orange peel. Orange flavors or aromatics can range..., and milk green tea. City- to City+. |
2 Responses
My HotTop burned out and, since we will be moving to a condo soon, replacing it is problematic at best. So I am now a dedicated Roasted Coffee Subscription addict.
Therefore, I would love to see this level of notes (in Tom’s blog) for the coffees that are destined for us oldies but goodies on the Roasted lists.
There is only one other product type that can rival (but not equal) Tom’s notes and choices – and that is wine. But in my old age I need to decrease wine intake and drink more coffee – lol.
Oh no on the Hot Top! I’m sorry to hear it gave up the ghost. I hope it at least lived a long, fruitful life. Sounds like your ability to create smoke may be limited with the new neighbor situation….unless, perhaps you share?! Just a thought 😉
Thanks for the suggestion on improving our roasted subscription information. We used to send out a half sheet of paper with some more extensive notes on roast, flavors, etc, but nixed it in the service of saving paper. Maybe it’s time to revive some of the old format online? Hmmmm…
Tom and I were discussing this earlier today after reading your message and are hoping that we can manage to at least publish roast notes and photos of the roast level online for the bi-weekly selection. I can see how that would be useful to have as a reference for subscription members, and also give those interested in joining the program a preview of what they can expect.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and for becoming a subscription member!
Best,
Dan Wood