El Savador - San Emilio
??????
This is seriously one of the nicest coffees I've drunk. It's particularly fantastic with milk, but also excellent black. I don't know coffee tasting language, but it seems velvety, not at all bitter, rich but not extreme.
Red Icatu
I think this is a different bean from the same estate; similar but less rich in flavour. I'm not completely sure though. It's certainly from San Emilio.
Guatamala - Huehuetenango injenta
This is another good coffee, more vigorous, almost like a dark chocolate, although again. not bitter. I haven't tried it with milk, but I suspect it might not work quite so well. (It doesn't) For me this coffee is best after cereal - seems to bring out the flavour, although that's puzzling in a way because the dominant after-taste of cereal is milk, but I can't get the same effect by milking the coffee; as a standalone or with bread it doesn't work quite so well.
Sumatra - Blve Batak?/Balak?
Kind of a blurred taste, then the next two mouthfuls were a bit thin, but finally ended up with quite a rich & fulfilling mouth feel. (I've decided to make up my own language). Sadly, not enough to take home & try with milk. I'm increasingly of the opinion that coffee tastes in its context. With a crusty bread roll it tastes different than with a croissant, etc. etc. Obvious you may say, but often overlooked I feel.
Ethiopia Sidarra - Haile Selassie
I haven't tried this yet, but one thing I can say is that it smells like no other coffee I have ever smelt. Can something smell dry & dusty? This does, like summer soil. Turned out to taste pretty good, as a black coffee only. It didn't taste nice with milk at all.
Kenya - Oreti
This was an OK coffee that didn't particularly distinguish itself in any direction. Pleasant, but not outstanding. As exemplified by the fact that I didn't bother to blog it until after it ran out, and now I can't remember anything particular to say about it. Oh, except it was good with yeasty white bread.
Ethiopia - Nigus(s)e Lemma
What I think of as "typical African" taste, thin, with the impact on rear sides of tongue. Fantastic bouquet in the beans, strongly floral/grassy, but not coming through to the brew.
Tanzania - Ruvuma AAA
Has an "African finish", a little bitter, which is OK, it's not at all unpleasant, and not present while drinking. The beans have a chocolatey smell, a little dry. Pleasant to drink black or with milk. Perhaps a little undistinguished in flavour, but not bad. About on a par in the mouth with the Guatamala above, only better with milk. Certainly nicer than the Ethiopian & Kenyan.
Panama - Paso Ancho
Another OK, but not outstanding bean. A little bitter, not too much. Nice aroma as a bean, but not following through to the mouth.
Brasil Moreninha Formosa
Great aroma, the chocolate drifts in towards the end. Nice to drink, not bitter. Not an overwhelming flavour; good with milk.
Mexico - Oaxaca Organic
I thought this had a kind of egg-y smell, not unpleasant. Then I thought of pipe tobacco. A pleasant drink, particularly good as the first coffee of the day; not because of the caffeine content, just because it seemed to deal with the "morning mouth" syndrome particularly well.
Costa Rica Garanbito (honey cured)
Not a bad breakfast coffee; the honey is a long way back in the flavour, but it's noticeable. For my money, better as a black than white coffee base.
Columbia - Naryano?
I forgot to make a note while I was still drinking it, and now I can't remember: I guess we could assume that means it wasn't outstanding in any particular direction.
Guatemala - Finca Ceylan y Anexos
Most noticeable about this coffee is that it packs a killer caffeine punch; no way can I drink 3 a day & even 2 is beginning to seem risky. As to flavour, it's a bit earthy/dry, lacking in aromatics. Not so great with milk. A coffee to wake up to, but not one to savour with a croissant.
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