Peru COOPARM Grower Certified Organic

Grown beneath a thick canopy of lush trees, this Grower Certified Organic Peru from COOPARM provides a perfect balance between earthen musk and crisp, bright acidity. The dry fragrance reveals a near-absence of sweetness with a husky, light molasses quality with an unexpected touch of tanned leather, forest herbs, and oak shavings. Once brewed, the aromas give rise to plum and jasmine, a rich burst of bittersweet chocolate, and toasted almonds.

The best organic lots from Peru tend to yield a somewhat "unpolished" coffee experience. The difference, here, is that the earth and clay latent in the roast are beautifully counterbalanced by a rich cup quality. Infused with silt, dry ash, and a decidedly loamy undercurrent, this cup presents a buttery body, unique brightness, unexpected flavor complexity, and wonderful depth.

Received 06/25/2013

Peruvian COOPARM
Grower Certified Organic

Roast Color: Medium-Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Medium, smooth
Flavor Profile: Balanced, mildly sweet
Cupping Notes: Mild earthen undertones with a silken body.

Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca Huixoc

Simply put, Guatemala is coffee paradise. Complete with rich, volcanic soil, consistent rainfall, humidity, altitude, and temperature variations, this country produces some of the most distinctive specialty coffees in the world. This Guatemalan Huixoc Estate, grown in lush mountains in the Huehuetenango region, is one of these. The Mayan name literally means "water spring," after the multitude of natural springs that feed into the shade-grown coffee trees and provide energy for the farm's mill.

This phenomenal estate-grown heirloom coffee combines a bright, wine-like acidity and a silky mouth-feel with a brush of orange-blossom sweetness, light berries & milk chocolate. The dry fragrance is delicate and nutty, with a strong presence of hazelnut and raw honey. Once brewed, the wet fragrance expands and the wine-tanin quality evolves. This is a very clean cup with the perfect body to carry the subtleties through. It finishes in a delightfully creamy, almost malty flavor. This is pure coffee perfection, Rainforest Alliance Certified, from the very heart of Guatemala. Be warned - this coffee's gonna go fast!

Received 06/18/2013

Guatemala Huehuetenango
Estate-Grown Finca Huixoc
Rainforest Alliance Certified

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Medium bodied, silky mouth-feel
Flavor Profile: Bright, wine-like, orange-blossom sweetness, light berries, and milk chocolate Cupping Notes: The dry fragrance is delicate and nutty, with a strong presence of hazelnut and raw honey. Once brewed, the wet fragrance expands and the wine-tanin quality evolves. A very clean cup, the perfect body carries the subtleties through and finishes in a delightfully creamy, almost malty flavor.

Uganda Sipi Falls Bugisu

Have I mentioned I love African coffee? Unusual cup characteristics and old-world milling processes yield bright, snappy naturals and smokey, spice-laden washed varietals. Throughout the the year, we experience the entire range of smooth sweet lingering finishes and brisk forward flavors that African coffees are famous for. Your Uganda Bugisu has proved an exceptionally powerful, solid coffee, tamed by a luxurious graham cracker and honey quality, bathed in bittersweet chocolate.

The over-sized flavors are marvelous when hot with a wild, woodsy and rustic quality hiding underneath. The textures become velvety and luscious as the cup cools, with hints of lemon in the finish. Tending toward a darker roast, the earthy qualities add just the right complexity without overwhelming the cup. With the heat of the summer sun upon us, this is my number one choice for iced coffee.

Received 06/11/2013

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Heavy, yet bright
Flavor Profile: Earthy, rustic
Cupping Notes: Heavy bodied with mild earthen undertones and that familiar, citrus-syrupy Central African mouth feel. An ideal choice for iced coffee.

Nicaragua Dipilto Nueva Segovia & Brazilian Fazenda Auerea

Nicaragua Dipilto Nueva Segovia

This coffee is really unusual in its mild, even-handed profile. Most of the specialty coffees from Nicaragua are typically categorized as a "classic" cup possessing a medium body, clean flavors, and extreme balance. Your Nicaraguan Dipilto de Nueva Segovia is a real crowd-pleaser if I ever tasted one, but that doesn't mean it's boring. In fact, it's filled with bright, flavorful nuances that make it incredibly easy to enjoy.

The dry fragrance reminds of a honey-nut cereal with qualities that point toward shaved cedar, toasted nuts, and semi-sweet chocolate with an exuberant proliferation of forest herbs. The wet aroma reminds me of freshly cut white cedar with a peculiar hint of terra-cotta. This cup is exceptionally clean with a crisp acidity and a brusque, malty, salted-caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. It's a restrained cup with an elegant mouth-feel and subtle flavor notes that any coffee-lover should taste.

Received 05/31/2013

Roast Color: Medium
Prep: Washed, Euro-prep
Body: Medium, balanced body
Flavor Profile: Mild and balanced
Cupping Notes: Exceptionally clean with a crisp acidity and a brusque, malty, salted-caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. A restrained cup with an elegant mouth-feel and subtle flavor notes.

Brazilian Fazenda Auerea


Specialty coffees from Brazil are becoming harder to find, especially as larger commercial operations expand in the country. Truly unusual heirloom varietals can still be found in Brazil, however, and the Brazilian Fazenda Aurea is an incredible find. If you like a strong, clean cup of coffee with a hint of ripened cherry, then this is exactly what you want.

Discover a beautiful complexity in the dry fragrance of cocoa powder, raw honey and bittersweet chocolate. This coffee favors a darker roast. Add hot water and more sweetness emerges along with hazelnut and a wonderful, classic chocolate taste, allowing for slightest bit of nuanced fruit to reveal itself. This works well for espresso and also makes for a pleasantly strong, well-balanced cup of coffee with an extraordinarily long finish.

Received 06/04/2013

Roast Color: Medium-to-Dark Roast Color
Prep: Wet-Process, Washed-Mild, Sun-Dried
Body: Smooth, Heavy-Bodied
Flavor Profile: Bright, Balanced Acidity, Caramel
Cupping Notes: The dry fragrance is undeniably nutty, with a sweetness aligned with dark berries and forest herbs. This is an unusual lot from South America, yielding a velvety body and flavors that hint at the more dark or robust.