Kenya Mtaro Estate Peaberry

Kenya is a country whose preeminent coffee origins are rarely matched. Well-run mills and efficient trade routes all contribute to an exquisite cup of coffee. Your Kenyan Mtaro Estate Peaberry is a delicate brew, with a kind of dry caramel and spice quality, and aromas that almost remind me of fresh kettle corn. This is a refreshing East-African gem, a perfect roast to welcome the fall season.

Impeccable quality control reveals a dry fragrance laced with burned sugarcane and vanilla. Once brewed, the aromatics open up into a tart, robust character, like a well-rounded Shiraz. The delicate sweetness of this cup is supported by a medium body with a bright, clean acidity that's highly unusual for an African varietal. The dark caramel and golden raisin fades into a candied-apple finish as the cup cools down. This is a lively, complex coffee you have to taste to believe!

Kenya Mtaro Estate Peaberry

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed, Euro-prep
Body: Syrupy, heavy-bodied
Flavor Profile: Subdued sweetness, cardamom, cinnamon, and anise root
Cupping Notes: The grind reveals a dry fragrance laced with burned sugarcane and vanilla. The wet aroma is delightfully tart, developing a distinctly spicy bouquet of cardamom, cinnamon, and anise root. The delicate sweetness, with the faintest hint of burned caramel and golden raisin, fades into a somewhat rindy finish as it cools.

Honduras Beneficio Santa Rosa Organic

Honduras has all the necessary ingredients for the perfect cup of coffee. Rich soils, tall mountains, and a generous climate result in balanced acidity and heightened sweetness. Having struggled with its reputation as an unreliable region, Honduras Beneficio Santa Rosa has worked hard to increase standards, promote sustainability, and has improved the overall processing infrastructure. And this year, Fair Trade USA has awarded Beneficio Santa Rosa the "Presidential Award For Exporters." This bright, slightly-candied varietal is simply breathtaking!


This is a simple, clean cup of coffee with a distinct perfume of hazelnut in the dry aromatics. It also has a lively praline sweetness that comes out even more once it's brewed, along with a hint of vanilla-bean. Over-all, this is a mild cup with a light, silky body that is well-matched with it's crisp, snappy character. Expect fruity apple flavors with a hint of nutmeg and a nutty quality from start to finish. It's delicious.
 
I am incredibly proud to be roasting and serving this coffee. It has won a number of prestigious awards, the most notable of which is an award for "The Best Honduran Exporter of 2013." Beneficio Santa Rosa is something special. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Received 09/17/2013

Honduras Santa Rosa Co-op
Bio Latina Certified Organic

Roast Color: Medium
Prep: Washed
Body: Medium, velvety
Flavor Profile: Bright, perfectly balanced
Cupping Notes: If you like a crisp, traditional washed varietal with the slightest hint of ripened cherry, then this carefully cultivated mountaintop coffee is what you want.

Bolivian Organic Peaberry from CENEPROC

I've never had a season that brought so many distinctive, high-quality coffees into the shop. Last week we roasted a most unusual Nicaraguan coffee, and now we're heading a little farther South, to the Yungas Mountains for another peaberry! Your Bolivian Organic Peaberry from CENEPROC is a smooth, candied cup that delivers velvety textures and sweet, clean flavors. Known as caracols (literally "snails") because of the shape of the seed, these delicious coffee beans are insanely rare.

I have never sampled coffee like this. There is no smooth ascension to taste in this cup. Rather than a nuanced progression of flavor, what you get with this peaberry is an instantaneous, intense coffee experience. The dry aroma hints at forest herbs and oriental tea leaves. But, once brewed, a sweetness creeps out of the grounds, giving way to Swedish coffee candy, caramel, and a distinct cut of burned, caramelized sugar. Beneath the crema are hints of cedar shavings & toasted almonds. Combining dark chocolate and sugarcane with a roof-of-the-mouth, zesty acidity, this is genuinely mouth-watering coffee.

Received 09/10/2013

Bolivia Organic Peaberry

Roast Color: Medium to Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Heavy
Flavor Profile: Nutty, bold, sassafras and ginger root
Cupping Notes: Sweet, smooth, and creamy. Reminds me of old-fashioned coffee hard candy with that delightful, lingering sweetness.

Nicaragua Caracolito Peaberry

This is an insanely special coffee, and I can't even begin to emphasize enough how incredibly rare peaberry coffees are. Representing 3% of all the coffee harvested in the world, the bulk of all peaberry varietals come from Eastern Africa (Tanzania & Kenya) and Papua New Guinea. Your Nicaraguan Peaberry is, arguably, the most unusual coffee I've ever roasted. The flavors are as smooth and delicious as the coffee is rare, filled with bright, flavorful nuances. This caramel dream is easy to love.

The dry fragrance presents a smoky vanilla quality, with apricot and dark stone-fruits. The sweet notes here are unusually pronounced, reminding me of honey-nut cereal. The wet aroma reminds me of freshly cut white cedar and, once brewed, the front end proves incredibly floral with a crisp acidity. Expect a brusque, malty, salted-caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. With an elegant mouth-feel and subtle, creamy flavors, I can't imagine anybody not loving this coffee. I only have a limited number of bags, so expect this delicious brew to disappear quick!

Received 09/03/2013

Nicaragua Caracolito Peaberry

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

Indian Mysore Nuggets from the Arabide Estate

Some coffees are solid, middle-of-the-road, predictable. Other coffees, however, defy expectation. I hadn't roasted this rarity in over a year, and it vanished quickly. The reason is incredibly simple: your estate-grown Indian Mysore Nuggets is an impeccably balanced varietal, with a wonderful expression of several complimentary qualities. These seeds, cultivated in the exhausted gold fields of Mysore Province, are driven by monsoon wind & rain, pumping the beans with moisture that smooth-out their flavor. If you haven't had this coffee, now is definitely the time.

Without doubt, this is the best Indian coffee I've ever had. The aromatics form a compelling and intricate tapestry. The dry fragrance has a clean, nutty quality, with a subtle whisper of white cedar and cinnamon. When brewed, there's a fruited element to the cup that reminds me of baked granny smith apples, crisp & clean tasting. It's snappy, with an exceptional brightness to the acidity. The body is thick, finishing with complex sweetness and a touch of rustic cedar. There is the slightest amount of woody, campfire flavor in the aftertaste reminiscent of burned marshmallows. This is an exciting experience for the professional cupper and the casual taster alike!

Received 08/27/2013

India Mysore Nuggets Arabide Estate
Rainforest Alliance Certified

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Deep, heavy
Flavor Profile: Crisp and bright, thick and syrupy
Cupping Notes: The body of this coffee is thick with a fruited element to the cup that reminds me of baked granny smith apples. It finishes with complex sweetness and a rustic hint of cedar.

Tanzania Ruvuma Peaberry

It's my job to find the most unusual, expressive, and tasty small-farm coffees. When something exciting comes along, I love to play with the coffee, experimenting with different roasts in order to discover how best to unlock the flavors. Your Tanzanian Peaberry is definitely one of the most popular coffees I've ever served, and it's back in the shop, just waiting for you!

This peaberry varietal is incredibly unique, presenting a zingy, bright character with a pleasant, velvety texture. The cup is sweet, with a husky, light molasses quality. The wet aroma presents a crisp, zesty acidity with delicate hints of orange blossom, cherry, and floral-toned sweetness. What makes this a wonderful brew is the touch of rustic exuberance in the finish, enough to remind you where the coffee is from. As the cup cools down, the perceived body increases, making this a wonderfully luxurious coffee. What I love most, though, is the slightest hint of wine-berry and apple, which I expect is why this particular coffee is so incredibly popular.

Received 08/20/2013

Tanzania Ruvuma Peaberry

Roast Color: "Full City" Dark Roast Color
Prep: Washed, sun-dried
Body: Medium, velvety
Flavor Profile: Bright, effervescent, lively and crisp
Cupping Notes: The dry fragrance has a subtle sweetness with a husky, light molasses quality. Once brewed, the wet aroma introduces elements of orange blossom and berries.

Colombian Volcan de Tolima

I love roasting coffee from Colombia. The flavor subtlety intrigues me. The third Colombian coffee varietal I've cupped this year, your Colombian Volcan de Tolima aligns with the nutty flavors and great body I expect from a Colombian coffee. A silky mouth-feel and hints of fruit make this rich, volcanic crop exceptional.

Along with cleanliness, the sweetness of this coffee indicates perfect cherry selection. Careful picking and quality processing allow the exceptional flavors of brown sugar and raw honey perfume the cup. This slightly darker roast is heavier, almost like a stout, with the slightest presence of dark stone fruits. This is a brew that appeals to fans of subtlety. I hope you enjoy the artwork of Tolima. Cheers!

Received 08/13/2013

Colombian Volcan de Tolima

Roast Color: Medium/Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Light-Medium
Flavor Profile: Sweet, clean
Cupping Notes: Along with absolute cleanliness, the sweetness of this coffee indicates proper cherry selection. Enjoy the brown sugar and raw honey that perfume the aromatics of this estate grown Colombian Volcan de Tolima coffee.

Burundi Sogestal Kirundo Estate

This Burundi Kirundo Estate shares very few similarities with most other African coffees. The most notable difference is the faint touch of earthen root akin to sweetened sassafrass, and white cedar. This distinctly dry and herbal cup boasts a wonderful collection of spicy undertones. Located in the Cogno Watershed, sharing borders with Tanzania and Rwanda, coffees from Burundi travel a great distance to milling stations. Fermentation occurs during transit adding a pleasant touch of musk.

This coffee has a much softer edge than I would have predicted. Inhale the exotic and deeply enjoyable aroma of toasted walnuts in the dry fragrance. Rich, volcanic ash and modern lowland agriculture has produced considerable depth in this brew. Discover dark stone fruits like plum and apricot, and a fine hint of black liquorish. The heavy body pushes forward a touch of bourbon which lingers in an elegant, long finish.

Received 08/06/2013

Burundi Sogestal Kirundo

Roast Color: Medium/Dark
Prep: Washed and kiln-dried
Body: Heavy, Syrupy
Flavor Profile: Old-world, robust coffee
Cupping Notes: There's an exotic and deeply enjoyable aroma of toasted walnuts in the dry fragrance. Volcanic ash and lowland agriculture has produced considerable depth in this brew, with dark fruits, plum, prune, and liquorish.

Costa Rican CoopePalmares Monte Crisol

Over the past few years, I've served a wide variety of coffees from Costa Rica. Coffee cultivation here is a generational affair, and the crop itself is so valuable that locals have come to refer to coffee beans as "grains of gold." Cherished for their calm character and restrained cup quality, the truly beautiful thing about the Costa Rican Monte Crisol from CoopePalmares is the cleanliness and consistency of the beans.

The dry grounds have an aroma of raw sugar and baking spices, with a citrus accent that blossoms when water is introduced. This cup is incredibly mature, with elements of black walnut and a sweet, ebullient acidity that rounds-out the clove, blood-orange, and berry sweetness. This is a soft-spoken, mild, "any-time" coffee with a lovely note of English Breakfast tea. There's also cane sugar and cocoa powder, with a light body that accentuates the gentle nature of this coffee's profile.

This is one of the very few coffee varietals I would prefer to drink as brewed coffee rather than espresso, and it makes one heck of an excellent iced coffee during these warm summer months. Enjoy!

Costa Rican CoopePalmares Monte Crisol Micro Lot

Received 07/23/2013

Roast Color: Medium
Prep: Washed and kiln-dried
Body: Light-Medium
Flavor Profile: Bright, substantial milk chocolate sweetness, caramelized sugar and toasted almonds
Cupping Notes: The dry fragrance is exceptionally mellow with a milk chocolate quality, alongside a faint, almost indiscernible hint of sassafras and spice. Once brewed, the bright and snappy cup reveals the washed, sorted, first-world coffee that it is.

India Mysore Nuggets Arabide Estate

Some coffees are common, others exceptional, some easy to come by, others quite rare. The last time I roasted this hugely popular coffee from India was a year ago. Your estate-grown Indian Mysore Nuggets is impeccably balanced, a wonderful expression of several complimentary qualities. These coffee seeds, cultivated in the exhausted gold fields of Mysore, are exposed to monsoon winds and rain, which pump the beans with moisture and smooth-out their flavor. If you haven't had this coffee, now's the time!

This is the best wet-process Indian coffee I've ever had, without a doubt. The aromatics form a compelling and intricate, sensual tapestry. The dry fragrance has a clean nutty quality, with subtle hints of white cedar and cinnamon shavings. When brewed, there's a fruited element to the cup that reminds me of baked granny smith apples, made crisp and clean with a wonderful brightness. The body of this coffee is thick, finishing with complex sweetness and a rustic hint of cedar. There is the slightest amount of woody, campfire flavor in the aftertaste reminiscent of burned marshmallows. This is an exciting experience for the professional cupper and the casual taster alike. Enjoy!

Received 07/16/2013

India Mysore Nuggets Arabide Estate
Rainforest Alliance Certified

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed
Body: Deep, heavy
Flavor Profile: Crisp and bright, thick and syrupy
Cupping Notes: The body of this coffee is thick with a fruited element to the cup that reminds me of baked granny smith apples. It finishes with complex sweetness and a rustic hint of cedar.

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.

Ethiopian Natural & A Washed Mexican

Ethiopian Nigusse Lemma Natural

As many of you know, I adore African coffee varietals. The fluctuating flavor profiles of these coffees keep me on my toes and remind me that they are cultivated with great care, sun-dried, and hand-sorted. These exuberant coffees always make up in character what they lack in consistency. The Ethiopian Nigusse Lemma is a perfect example of what meticulous farmers can accomplish. Expect a smooth, sweet cup with luscious fruit and a snappy finish, complete with the slightest hint of earthen spice.

The well-structured profile begins with an elegant dry fragrance hinting at stone fruits and refined honey. In the cup, I can almost catch the scent of of apricot preserves with floral elements that translate into a wonderful tasting experience. On the tongue, this coffee subtly carries forward the flavors of almond extract and black cherry. This is a restrained and articulate coffee with a sweet and delicate personality. I count this among my personal favorites.

Roast Color: Varigated
Prep: Pulped Natural, Sun-Dried
Body: Medium
Flavor Profile: Bright, earthy, citrus, cinnamon, and fennel
Cupping Notes: Dry fragrance of subtle plum alongside heady, dark-wine and brown-sugar flavors. This smooth, sweet cup is nutty with notes of singed caramel and cinnamon shavings over a smooth, velvety body. Concludes in a snappy finish with just the slightest hint of earthen spice.

Mexican Oaxaca Finca Quiavicuzas
Grower Certified Organic

Finca Quiavicuzas (kee-uh-vee-koo-zuss) is located in a valley of lush vegetation with a diverse array of fruit trees used as protective shade for this organic, high-altitude varietal. I wasn't sure what to expect, having roasted coffee mostly from the state of Chiapas, but I am well satisfied by this darkly complex coffee from Oaxaca. Your Mexican Quiavicuzas exemplifies all of the qualities I've come to love in good Mexican coffee.

Field labor and harvesting is all done by hand and executed by specialized workers. Each foreign worker is assisted, if necessary, to acquire his personal work ID for legal status in Oaxaca. Whole families arrive for the harvest. The farm established a special schooling program for the children of migrant workers which is supervised by the Mexican Education Board. This is an excellent coffee produced by dedicated farmers and well-cared-for workers. Happy farmers and educated children make for good coffee.

Roast Color: Medium
Prep: Washed Mild
Body: Tea-like
Flavor Profile: Balanced, bright, sweet, and snappy
Cupping Notes: A fresh hot cup of this brew has a stunning medium-body, distinctly sweet & sharp caramel flavors, and a touch of almond & bittersweet chocolate.

Kenya Kirimara Estate Peaberry

Kenya is, without doubt, a country whose preeminent coffee origins are rarely matched. Well-run mills and efficient trade routes all contribute to a most exquisite cup quality. It's been more than two years since I've roasted a quality coffee from this region, and today I'm serving up something pretty special. Your Kenyan Kirimara Estate Peaberry is an East-African gem for any stripe of the coffee loving world.

Enjoy the impeccable quality control at the Kirimara Estate with the first grind, revealing a dry fragrance laced with burned sugarcane and vanilla. This sweetness subsides once water is added, when a distinctly spicy bouquet gesturing toward cardamom, cinnamon, and anise root develops. The wet aroma is delightfully tart, almost like a rounded, robust Shiraz. The delicate sweetness, with the faintest hint of burned caramel and golden raisin, fades into a somewhat rindy finish as it cools. A truly complex coffee, discover something beyond your standard, 'pleasant' cup.

Kenya Kirimara Estate Peaberry

Roast Color: Dark
Prep: Washed, Euro-prep
Body: Syrupy, heavy-bodied
Flavor Profile: Subdued sweetness, cardamom, cinnamon, and anise root
Cupping Notes: The grind reveals a dry fragrance laced with burned sugarcane and vanilla. The wet aroma is delightfully tart, developing a distinctly spicy bouquet. The delicate sweetness, with the faintest hint of burned caramel and golden raisin, fades into a somewhat rindy finish as it cools.

Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley Estate

We rang in the new year with this exceptional coffee from Indonesia, and I realized almost immediately that we needed to get our hands on more! Cultivated in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, where several small farms are situated up along the hilltops, this gorgeous New Guinea Nebilyer Valley Estate is a sun-dried coffee with a bright, clean body and a dark caramel sweetness unlike anything else.

I expected this coffee to be more fruit-forward than it ultimately proved to be. The dry fragrance possesses a saturated plum sweetness with what almost smells like fresh rose petals. Once brewed, however, these brisk aromatics are overpowered by caramel and cinnamon bark, a genuinely spicy quality accented by a touch of soothing sandalwood. This is bold, to be certain, but with a disarming sweetness that's quite unusual, intense without being overpowering or sharp.

Papua New Guinea Nebilyer Valley

Roast Color: Medium-Dark
Prep: Washed, Sun-Dried
Body: Heavy-Bodied, Creamy Texture
Flavor Profile: Subtle Earthiness, Dark Caramel, Cinnamon Bark
Cupping Notes: In this smooth, deep cup, expect a heavy, dark caramel quality in the sweet end, with the kind of body typical of most Indonesian varietals. This is a wet-processed coffee, washing away the extreme earthiness associated with Sumatras. This is a clean, balanced coffee with just a hint of those rustic qualities celebrated in Indonesian coffee.