PART 3, M to Z - Sweet Maria's Coffee Cupping Reviews: Archive 2001 and 2002 crops

Peru

Peru SHG Organic Chanchamayo-FT

Country:

Peru

Grade:

SHG

Region:

Chanchamayo

Mark:

La Florida Co-op, OCIA Organic Cert., Fair Trade Cert.

Processing:

Washed

Crop:

midcrop
2001

Appearance:

1d/300gr

16/17scr

Varietal:

Typica

Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:

83/85

Notes: A complex coffee with a good punch to it too... Perus are very high grown and sometimes I feel the acidity is a bit too high and too removed from the rest of the flavor profile. The acidity can be a bit blunt in some lots. This was the case with something being sold last year as Andes Gold, whatever that means. The Chanchamayo samples last year were okay but this is much more powerful...so here it is, a year later and I have a good stockpile of Peruvian Chanchamayo (pronounced just as it reads). Good acidy component in darker blends too. I use this stuff "in-house" a lot. Really incredible price, and great character; if you like Centrals, try this for sure! Look for smokey flavors that are independent of roast.

Brightness- Liveliness:

85

Body- Movement:

82

Flavor- Depth:

85

Finish- Conclusion:

85

Roast: Full City, or dark in blends.

Score:

85.5

Compare to: Panama, Guatemalan, Costa Rican

Peru Chanchamayo Corona 18+

Country: Peru Grade: SHG Region: Chanchamayo Mark: Corona Royal 18+

Processing: Wet-processed Crop: 00/01 Appearance: 0 d/300gr, 18+ scr Varietal: Bourbon, Typica

Dry Fragrance: 82 Notes: A large bean coffee with a great cup at a low price: that’s pretty much a home run formula. The bean screen at 18/64 th's or above, which is how coffee size is measured. Large bean coffees are not necessarily better by any means. But it is going to roast evenly, be free of defective or partial beans, and have consistencey in the cup. And if a large bean coffee does happen to cup very well, then all's well. Chanchamayo is the premier growing region in Peru, but Cuzco (from near Machu Picchu), Puno (from the extreme South) and coffees from the North can be good. Chanchamayo coffees benefit from the most modern wet-mill processing facilities and best transportation routes to port at Callao. This is a medium to full body cup, good bright acidity and medium to long in the aftertaste, a complete package in the cup!

Wet Aroma: 82

Brightness- Liveliness: 86

Body- Movement: 85

Flavor- Depth: 85 Roast: City to Full City: Classic central amercian cup character but not as delicate as others so it can take a heavier roast and retain "origin character".

Finish- Conclusion: 83

Score: 84 Compare to: bolder Centrals

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rican Yauco Selecto AA - '02

Country: US; Puerto Rico Grade: AA Region: Yauco Mark: Hacienda Santa Ana

Processing: Wet-processed Crop: 01/02 Appearance: 0 d/300gr, 16/17 scr Varietal: Bourbon, Typica

Dry Fragrance: 82 Notes: Yauco Selecto is the premium coffee from the small growing regions on the island. Production is limited and the last count I could find was 3500 bags per year …in the scheme of things its not much! Many other price factors bear on this coffee too: since it is produced in the US the price refelects what US consumers should probably be paying for all coffee, if origins enjoyed the protections that we grant our own. There is a long tradition of coffee from Puerto Rico that was destroyed by a combination of hurricane damage and market pressures. In Europe, PR coffees were considered the pinnacle, because they have unparalleled bidy for an island coffee, and ample flavor/complexity. The coffee is air-frieghted in small quantities to the US, so it is basically always fresh from the Yauco Selecto mill. To be frank, I didn't touch this coffee for the last 2 years because the cup was lackluster. A combination of weather factors and storm damage took its toll. But I was happy to find this cup from new crop sample to have the character I remember: first and foremost a creamy, buttery body. It is not a sweet coffee; it is more bittersweet with a pleasant aromatic woodyness and some light spice in the aftertaste. It is pricey, but kicks Jamaican rear, and in that repect its less than half the price!

Wet Aroma: 82

Brightness- Liveliness: 83

Body- Movement: 88

Flavor- Depth: 86 Roast: City to Full City. Please take note: I have noted that this coffee takes a little more roast time to reach a Full City roast than other coffees …take that into account, and considering the price I would set the roaster to a high number and manually stop the roast when you hear the first snap of second crack!

Finish- Conclusion: 86

Score: 85 Compare to: Island coffee with an attitude: has the mellowness of other island coffees, with more body and excellent bittersweet flavors
Country:
Peru
Grade:
SHG
Region:
Chanchamayo
Mark:
La Florida Co-op, OCIA Organic Cert., Fair Trade Cert.
Processing:
Washed
Crop:
midcrop 2001
Appearance:
1d/300gr
16/17scr
Varietal:
Typica

Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:
83/85
Notes: A complex coffee with a good punch to it too... Perus are very high grown and sometimes I feel the acidity is a bit too high and too removed from the rest of the flavor profile. The acidity can be a bit blunt in some lots. This was the case with something being sold last year as Andes Gold, whatever that means. The Chanchamayo samples last year were okay but this is much more powerful...so here it is, a year later and I have a good stockpile of Peruvian Chanchamayo (pronounced just as it reads). Good acidy component in darker blends too. I use this stuff "in-house" a lot. Really incredible price, and great character; if you like Centrals, try this for sure! Look for smokey flavors that are independent of roast.
Brightness- Liveliness:
85
Body- Movement:
82
Flavor- Depth:
85
Finish- Conclusion:
85
Roast: Full City, or dark in blends.
Score:
85.5
Compare to: Panama, Guatemalan, Costa Rican

Saint Helena

Isle of Saint Helena
Country:	Saint Helena (British Protectorate)	Grade:	1	Region:	Saint Helena	Mark:	St. Helena Coffee Company, Coffee Ground Plot
Processing:	Wet-Processed (washed)	Crop:	2002	Appearance:	1d/300gr 16/17 scr	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemen Seedstock: "Green-Tipped Bourbon"
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3	Notes: St Helena is the very small island in the South Central Atlantic where Napoleon was banished to, and died. The island is just 8 miles long and 6 miles wide, but was a small but productive coffee producer owned entirely by the Dutch East India Co. until recently. Because the cost of production was so high and the shipping costs so outrageous (St Helena has only 1 boat, the RMS Saint Helena, servicing the island every every 2 weeks) the farms was left largly abandoned for decades. Only in the past 10 years has the coffee production been revitalized under the care of one David Henry, and the current output is about 4,500 lbs per year. We have the only 2 bags of this coffee in the U.S. from the '01 crop. Compare this to a small Central American estate that can produced 2 containers, or 75,000 lbs per year, and you understand that this is a very rare coffee indeed. And why else is it special? Because the seedstock used to cultivate it is pure heirloom varietal Yemen brought to the island in 1730. Mr. Henry revitalized the production with meticulous care by nursing new seedlings from the aged 100 year old trees. The coffee looks like a wet-processed Sana'ani: a light opal color, small, roundish, flat with a well-defined edge. The coffee is guaranteed by Mr. Henry to be non-certified, but 100% Organic, sustainabley grown. The cup? The acidity is bright, citrus-berry but not sour, the body is medium light, and there is a distinct spicy-pepperiness in the cup. In the finsh there are flavors ranging from cola nut to a pungent creosote and chocolate notes in the darker roasts. The brightness is very roughly similar to an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It's a clean cup, balanced too when the coffee is allowed to rest 24-36 hours after roasting (recommended), deep. .... Its expensive! ...but for obvious reasons of high production costs. And it is unique ---there is no coffee like it!You can read more about the coffee on our additional Saint Helena Pictures page, and on the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal's cover article on Saint Helena, April '01
Wet Aroma (1-5)		4
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.5
Body - Movement (1-5)		4
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9.5
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		2
add 50		50	Roast: City to Full City. If you like the brightness, keep it lighter. If you are willing to mute the brightness for the sake of complex roast tastes layered with the origin tastes, take it a couple snaps into 2nd crack. This coffee will take a little longer to enter 2nd crack than others. There is lots of character, this coffee will not get obliterated by a little darker roast tastes. I prefer the slightly heavier roast on this coffee. The coffee shows intense roast color, but does not expand as much as you would expect for a specific degree of roast.
Score (Max. 100)		90	Compare to: The Citrusy-berry notes of a Yirgacheffe, the balance of an island (Kona) coffee, the complexity (spice and chocolate) of a Yemeni dry-processed without the ferment or earthiness.

El Salvador

El Salvador Cup of Excellence- San Francisco Farm
Country:	El Salvador	Grade:	SHB -Strictly Hard Bean	Region:	Buenos Aires, Chalchuapa	Mark:	2003 COE Auction Lot #9, Finca San Francisco Chops: 09/060/63
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	2003	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 17-18 Screen	Varietal:	100% Bourbon
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.8	Notes: While this coffee ranked #9 in the Cup of Excellence competition for El Salvador, it was my personal #1. It is 100% traditional Bourbon arabica cultivar, and is exclusively sun-dried on patios. It comes from an altitude of 4900 f eet, the San Francisco farm owned by Juan Francisco Rodríguez, 4th generation of a coffee growing family. Sr. Rodriguez was a founding member of the wet-mill co-op, along with 27 other small farms, called the Cuzcachapa cooperative. At his farm, some 80 workers are employed for harvest time and 6 people are permanently working on the coffee field through the cooperative effort. The coop helps the community in the maintenance of roads and providing economic support to surrounding communities complementing their bills for water supply. The cup is floral in the aromatics, both before and during brewing. This follows through on the first sip, when I often get a very floral burst, like brilliant hop flowers. When roasted to a lighter City stage, the coffee needs to rest a couple days to bring some equilibrium to the top end of the taste profile: this is bright coffee! This cup is complex, everything I look for in a high grown Central. With ample acidity, you can roast this a bit darker and get really amazing, tingly ripe-sweet orange notes in the cup. This overlays a complex, black tea flavor that persists through the finish at this slightly darker roast stage -very nice!
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.8
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		9.2
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		8.7
Body - Movement (1-5)		3.3
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		0	Roast: This coffee resists the roast a bit and may need a little more time in the roast to hit the degree-of-roast you are targeting. It's very bright in the lighter City stage, and I had the most complex cups when it was true Full City, meaning that just a couple snaps of 2nd crack occurred and the roast was stopped.
add 50		50	Compare to: Bright, flavorful, complex Centrals … intensifying more as it cools. It truly compares only to Bourbon varietal Salvadors.
Score (Max. 100)		87.8

Sulawesi

Sulawesi "Aged Kalossi" Toraja
Country:	Indonesia: Sulawesi	Grade:	One	Region:	Sulawesi: Torajaland	Mark:	POI Aged Kalossi Chops: 155/340/44
Processing:	Semi-washed: Aged	Crop:	1999	Appearance:	.5 d/300gr, 16-18 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.0	Notes: We finally found a lot of true Aged Sulawesi coffee, held back from the 1999 crop in Toraja to properly aged the cup. Aged coffees are rare only in that it costs the producer a lot of money to hold back a crop from the market, and to properly age it. Aged coffees need to be regularly rotated in the warehouse to make sure all bags age evenly and that a consistent moisture content is maintained. Aging coffee at origin means that the coffee will not dry out (if properly rotated in stock. Then the coffee has to be broken out of bags, mixed, and is then either re-bagged for shipment, or re-bagged and aged more. The aging process lowers the brightness (acidity) in the cup, increases the pungency, and (arguably) increases the body. The result is a bass-toned cup with oaky smokiness in the cup, and a thick mouthfeel. Compared to other aged Indonesians we have stocked, our regular customers might remember the Aged Sumatra Pwanu from 2 years ago: a cleaner, less aggressive cup than the Old Brown Java. This is like the Pwani: chocolatey, with pleasant, soft aged smokey character but without a hard edge in the cup. The aftertaste is lighter than other aged coffees, which have a tendency to stay with you for ... well ... a day or two! In scoring, I am compelled to add a +1 cuppers correction because the score punishes the coffee for low acidity, which is exactly what people who select this coffee will want!
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.0
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		7.0
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.0
Body - Movement (1-5)		4.0
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8.0
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1.0	Roast: You can roast this anywhere from Full City to French to Flaming charcoal. If you roast it to a lighter city roast you need to rest it a few days to let body develop in the cup and mellow the more astringent roast taste. Resting 48 hours for all roasts of this cup is recommended.
add 50		50	Compare to: A bass-note cup with extremely low brightness, lots of depth and body, and a smokey aged character.
Score (Max. 100)		85.0

Sulawesi Sulotco Farm -Old Toraja
Country:	Sulawesi	Grade:	One	Region:	Torajaland	Mark:	Sulotco, "Old Toraja"
Processing:	Fully Wet Process, Aged	Crop:	1999	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 16-17 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra Varietal
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		4	Notes: Let's start with what I know about this coffee: it’s a really unusual aged cup. It is 3 years old and has very potent aged aroma during roasting and in the cup … yet it retains brightness. This is quite different from the cup character of other aged coffees that become low-acid, deep and smokey. Well, actually this coffee is indeed deep, full-bodied and full of that aged taste. Yet the appearance is quite different from our aged Sumatras ... it is a pale green, not orange-brown. It is from the respected Sulotco farms, the only Sulawesi processor I know that uses a fully-wet method a la Central America. And lastly, this coffee sold out quickly from the stocks of the venerable Erna Knutsen ... and she just managed to find 5 more bags for us that were misplaced in her inventory. But I keep asking myself, was this coffee purposefully aged or is it "old stock". Well, either way the cup character is certainly unique among aged coffees, the provenance is good, and the cup is as mystifying and interesting as ever...
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.5
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		8
Body - Movement (1-5)		5
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		0	Roast: Full City +, Vienna. I roasted this light and find the brightness a bit disturbing at a City roast. But darker it lends great dimension to the typical aged cup profile.
Add 50		50	Compare to: Like aged coffees, but with a top-end brightness to the cup.
Score (Max. 100)		86.5

Sulawesi Rantepao
Island:	Sulawesi	Grade:	1	Region:	Torajaland	Mark:	Rantepao (Monsooned)
Processing:	Semi-washed, "Monsooned"	Crop:	98/99	Appearance:	1d/300gr 19+ scr	Varietal:	- -
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	80/82	Notes: The Rantepao is a weird story. The source swears that the coffee is not Monsooned, that its color/cup are a result of it being left in the coffee cherry for 5 days or so without pulping or drying it out. The "aged in cherry form" is definitely part true; I have looked up the Rantepao references and it was supposedly the coffee that was transported in cherry form by horseback from the farm to the mill... and during that time the coffee seed swelled. But it is also aged for quite a long time: over 4 years! This coffee is rare, and is only handled by the source broker on behalf of another importer... In the past 5 years only 4500 lbs have been produced! I have personally met the sole produced of Rantepao, although I admit there was a bit of a language problem communicating some of the details about the coffee. It looks like Monsooned Malabar, but if you let the coffee rest a day after roasting, you will find much more sweetness and depth than the Malabar. Its for people who like aggressive cups, the Aged and Monsooned ... I think this is one of the finest coffees out there in this vein.
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	89
	Flavor- Depth:	85
	Finish- Conclusion:	87	Roast: Full City. I like this with a darker roast on it.
	Score:	84.3	Compare to: Monsooned Malabar with more depth and sweetness. It is harsh if you cup it too soon after roasting, but every day of resting seems to bring out more body, more sweetness, and mellows the hard, aggressive character in the coffee...

Sumatra

Sumatra Triple-Pick -Blue Batak
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	One	Region:	Lake Toba, Sumatra	Mark:	PT Volkopi Blue Batak
Processing:	Dry processed	Crop:	2002 crop	Appearance:	.5 d/300gr, 17 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.0	Notes: Batak is a ethnic group, a "tribe" that is related to the greater Mandailing group, with a distinct dialect. Actually Batak is a general name for 6 groups with different cultural and linguistic characteristics, but they believe in a descent of a common ancestor. The Batak people live in the north of Sumatra, in the hilly region of Lake Toba. At the beginning of this century the last Batak were placed under the authority of the Netherlands and most of them were christianized: the Batak form the largest protestant community of Asia. Nevertheless many of old pre-christian traditions were preserved. Blue Batak is sourced from small-holder farms in growing areas surrounding the lake. It is a marvelous cup, but much different than the earthy, musty, natural Sumatras. It's a remarkabley clean cup! The aromas are sweet, and after the coffee had rested several days I honestly thought I smelled honeyed ham in the wet aroma! The first sip is not that impressive, especially if you expect a big bang that is typical to Sumatras: earthiness, pungency, etc. But let this cup grow on you a bit and as it cools you will find a refined, sweet, cinnamon-spiced cup with great body and a long sassafras aftertaste.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3.5
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.0
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.0
Body - Movement (1-5)		4.0
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8.0
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1.0	Roast: City to Full City: it really has a wide range of roasts but it needs time to rest to allow the body to develop
add 50		50	Compare to: A very clean Sumatra cup ... if you want musty/earthy, don't get the Blue Batak. If you only drink Centrals and think Sumatras are always dirt-tasting, then try this one!
Score (Max. 100)		86.5

Sumatra Mandheling Natural Decaf
Country:	Indonesia	Grade:	One	Island Region:	Sumatra	Mark:	Coffein Natural Decaf
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 16/17scr	Varietal:	Sumatra

	Dry Fragrance:	86	Notes: I am very excited to have an Indonesian decaf processed by the Ethyl Acetate method. My personal opinion is that the cup quality of this Sumatra surpasses all the Swiss Water Sumatras I have ever stocked. Natural Decafs are a newer 'chemical' process that use a safe fruit-derived type of Ethyl Acetate to extract the caffeine from the green coffee. The Ethyl Acetate process is this case performed in Germany by the decaffeinator Coffein who brands their own process …presumably because they think they do a better job than others. One thing for sure, any decaffeination performed in Germany is done under the strictest regulations in the world ...in terms of environmental impact, plant safety and highest standards for the coffee itself. This cup really retains all the strenghts of the the non-decaf Sumatra cup; great body, nice earthy-woody flavors, low-acidity, long mild aftertaste.
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	79
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: Full City or City. Roast it to your preference. It can be roasted to Vienna or full french if desired: this coffee has a very wide latitude in terms of roast!
	Finish- Conclusion:	87
	Score:	85.0	Compare to: Sumatra Mandheling, or Sulawesi

Sumatra Lake Tawar Triple-Pick
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	Grade 1, Triple-Picked	Region:	Northern Highlands of Medan	Mark:	Lake Tawar Mandheling
Processing:	100% Sun-dried, Semi-washed process	Crop:	2002	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18-19 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra
	Dry Fragrance:	85	Notes: Lake Tawar is in the North-central highlands of Medan-Aceh. The main town of Takengon is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Tawar, and it is a great base camp for exploring the greater Gayo region. Suprisingly, this coffee is handled and distributed exclusively by Hacienda La Minita, who acts as advisors to the farmers and mill in processing this coffee and preparing of this semi-washed coffee, and in their exacting preparation methods. The result is one of the most beautiful, large-bean Sumatras we have ever stocked and is Triple-handpicked after drying to remove defects. But more important than the appearance of the green coffee is, of course, the cup quality. This is a uniquely spicy cup that has a neat astringency (not acidity), and spicy pungent finish. Of course its the high degree of soluble solids that give a sense of very heavy body, almost creamy in this coffee. The roast taste is sweet though, a bit like butterscotch, the fruitiness alternates between black cherry and black currant for me. The aftertaste is long, and there's a bit of pleasant "wet bark" earthiness to remind you that you are, indeed, enjoying a coffee from Sumatra! I think this 2002 new crop lot is simply awesome, and cupping it agaisnt some Lintong offerings, it blew then away (in fact, I cancelled the Lintong contract after cupping this!)
	Wet Aroma:	86
	Brightness- Liveliness:	85
	Body- Movement:	92
	Flavor- Depth:	88	Roast: City to Full City+. I prefer it just before 2nd crack starts, the rested 48 hours before brewing so the body can develop. Can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack though: wide latitude in roast. Remember that Sumatras show a lighter roast color for their specific degree of roast.
	Finish- Conclusion:	88
	Score:	87.3	Compare to: Premium Sumatras

Aged Sumatra Mandheling '98
Country:	Sumatra (Aged)	Grade:	1	Region:	Central Sumatra	Mark:	AGED Mandheling
Processing:	Dry-Processed, Aged	Crop:	1998	Appearance:	1 d/300gr, 16/18scr	Varietal:	Sumatra

	Dry Fragrance:	84	Notes: This is a aged coffee that originated with '98 crop Manheling Grade 1 and was held in Sumatra 3 years for the aging process. Aged coffees are not simply old coffee. You can't just put some green coffee in your basement for 3 years and end up with aged coffee (although its fun to see what you get -other than moldy coffee!) The process has to occur in a controlled environment in the country of origin with apporpriate climate to prevent the coffee from drying out. The bags are turned and rotated in their stacks every so often, and the rebagged before shipping. It costs a lot to hold onto a stock of coffee like this, and the final results can be disasterous! The coffee can be ruined at any point along the way, and result in a total loss. I have cupped terrible Aged coffees that someone is attempting to pass off (with little luck). But this Aged Sumatra is wonderful... It has no acidity, tons of body, and wonderful soft aged flavors: very chocolatey, smokey, spicey, pungent, with a very long wonderful aftertaste. Please note that this is a new lot (as of 7/01) and is more potent that the Pwani lot we had before. We bought this lot because I feel it has a more "aged" quality and more powerful cup, although it is a little less attractive than the Pwani. It has the look of a true aged coffee: yellow orange. We also stock the Aged Java Old Brown which is an even more potent Aged coffee: extremely pungent, smokey, with a very aggressive bite. This coffee is exceptional in espresso blends and not bad as a straight roast espresso ...not bad at all!
	Wet Aroma:	86
	Brightness- Liveliness:	78
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	87	Roast: Full City. I like this roasted a few snaps into second crack, or a tad darker for espresso uses.
	Finish- Conclusion:	90
	Score:	85.5	Compare to: Low-acid, flavorful coffees, with spicey/smokey flavors and a long aftertaste. Know any?

Sumatra Organic Gayoland -FT
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	1	Region:	Gayo, Aceh	Mark:	Gayoland Organic, SKAL Cert Organic, Fair Trade Certified
Processing:	Semi-Washed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	1 d/300gr, 17/18 scr	Varietal:	Sumatra

	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: Oh, why do I do this to myself ... stocking both the Gayoland and it's competitor Gayo Mountain is going to lead too tons of hair-splitting questions about the differences between the two. Here is the basic answer: there is little, they are both excellent this year! If you like one, you will like the other. If you like Sumatra, you will like them both. If you aren't sure, start with a Lb. of Mandheling and find out. Okay, that said, there are minor differences here. The Gayoland is from the competing OCIA certified Organic mill in Aceh, West and North of the areas where most Mandheling and Lintong originate. The Gayoland is a slightly larger bean size, making it the better choice for Alpenrost owners. In appearance it has the yellow tinge in it I expect to see in Golden Pwani coffees, but I am not what is derisively called an "eye-cupper" in the trade, and you shouldn't be either. Especially with natural (or in this case semi-natural) coffees, its even more important to look past the appearance of the green coffee and judge it by the cup. The Gayoland is a little more fruity than the Gayo Mountain. The prep is not as uniform, the body just a smidge lighter. I think it has a little more going on in the bright end of the cup, so I roast it just a little lighter. In that way, it balances out with the body better. But the Gayo Mountain has a little more body, and is a more pure Sumatra cup experience in that respect. Minor changes in the roast will make a greater difference in the cup than the extremely fussy little distinctions I am making between these two coffees: the fact is, I bought them both because they were both very good!
	Wet Aroma:	83
	Brightness- Liveliness:	84
	Body- Movement:	87
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: City. Full City+. I like this coffee roasted right to the verge of 2nd crack, or a bit lighter or a bit darker to taste. The Mandheling is better for dark roasting though. Its good in dark roast blends too
	Finish- Conclusion:	84
	Score:	84.3	Compare to: Powerful, natural Indonesians: Mandheling, Gayoland, Earthier Sulawesi

Sumatra Organic Gayo Mountain Gr 1 Swiss Water Process Decaf
Country:	Indonesia	Grade:	1	Island:	Sumatra, Gayo Region	Mark:	Organic, Gayo Mountain Mill
Processing:	Washed --not DP!	Crop:	'01 arrival	Appearance:	2d/300gr	Varietal:	Sumatra
					16/17scr
	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: This is a very nice Swiss Water Process Decaf, since the Gayo Mountain Sumatra (from the Northwest region of the island) is really special for its body and deep flavors, two features mostly unharmed by the water-process decaffeination. Another great feature is that you an roast this fairly light, quite dark, or anywhere in between. It's is one of the only coffees I will roast french without blending, its body can stand up against aggressive roasts. These are grown on very small organic farms but Gayo Mountain is also the name of the organic-certifed mill. It might interest you too that the Aceh region that includes Gayo has been seeking independence from Indonesia! This is a great constituent for decaf or low-caf espresso blends, or as a blending base for low-caf drip coffee. The blending strategy is to have your decaf provide body and depth (which the Sumatran and Indonesian Komodo do well) and then have your non-decaf coffees add the high, bright notes ...something many decafs cannot do well! (with the exception of MC decafs like the Kenya or Yirgacheffe)
	Wet Aroma:	82
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	86
	Flavor- Depth:	84	Roast: City. Its hard to roast the SWP decafs light enough. The color fools you, looks darker than it tastes.
	Finish- Conclusion:	83	Compare to: Mellower non-decaf washed Sumatran.
	Score:	83.3

Sumatra Lake Tawar Mandheling
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	Grade 1, Triple-Picked	Region:	Northern Highlands of Medan	Mark:	Lake Tawar Mandheling
Processing:	100% Sun-dried, Semi-washed process	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18-19 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra
	Dry Fragrance:	85	Notes: Lake Tawar is in the North-central highlands of Medan-Aceh. The main town of Takengon is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Tawar, and it is a great base camp for exploring the greater Gayo region. Suprisingly, this coffee is handled and distributed exclusively by Hacienda La Minita, who acts as advisors to the farmers and mill in processing this coffee and preparing of this semi-washed coffee, and in their exacting preparation methods. The result is one of the most beautiful, large-bean Sumatras we have ever stocked and is Triple-handpicked after drying to remove defects. But more important than the appearance of the green coffee is, of course, the cup quality. This is a uniquely spicy cup that has a neat astringency (not acidity), and spicy pungent finish. The roast taste is butterscotch. Of course its the high degree of soluble solids that give a sense of very heavy body, almost creamy in this coffee.
	Wet Aroma:	86
	Brightness- Liveliness:	85
	Body- Movement:	92
	Flavor- Depth:	88	Roast: City to Full City+. I prefer it just before 2nd crack starts, the rested 48 hours before brewing so the body can develop. Can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack though: wide latitude in roast. Remember that Sumatras show a lighter roast color for their specific degree of roast.
	Finish- Conclusion:	88
	Score:	87.3	Compare to: Premium Sumatras

Sumatra Lintong
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	1	Region:	Lake Toba, Lintong	Mark:	Lintong
Processing:	Semi-dryprocessed	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 17/18 Screen	Varietal:	Catuai Caturra
	Dry Fragrance:	83	Notes: Oh joy ...this coffee smells so good while roasting, it smells so good green too! I don't mean to wax poetics, but I love all those smells when they converge: sweet tropical flowers, trees honeyed with sap, moist earth. While Lintong is a premium Mandheling, it ironically is not all that attractive in appearance this year. I was a little disappointed with the preparation when I saw it. It does not have the darker, bluer appearance as we sometimes see, hence the name Blue Lintong. Yes, this IS Blue Lintong, but it seemed ironic to me to call it blue when its not, so we'll just call it Lintong for now. Anyway I am not what they call an "eye-cupper" in the trade ...you CANNOT know the cup quality of a coffee by looking at the appearance of the green, and you shouldn't do that either: odd looking coffees sometimes have the best cup! Ans so I put it up against the other excellent Sumatras from this year and I loved it! It's a sweeter, fruitier, brighter Sumatra, as opposed to the earthier tongue-grabbing pruney ones. There's an aromatic woodyness in the lighter roast that is very pleasant, somewhat sandalwood, and a hint of almond oils. Of course it has a full, rich, oily body and great depth. In fact, most of the flavors in a Sumatra are not in the aromatic and volatile chlorogenic acids (Sumatra has low measurable quantities of acids) but in the soluble solids that give a sense of heavy body/mouthfeel, and in the fats/lipids. You sense these flavors in the back of the mouth, in the oily, waxy soluble solids. And it has less loose chaff than other Sumatra Dry-Processed to boot...
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	90
	Flavor- Depth:	87	Roast: Full City+. This years Sumatra crop can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack: wide latitude in roast. Remember that Sumatras show a lighter roast color for their specific degree of roast.
	Finish- Conclusion:	86
	Score:	85.5	Compare to: Premium Sumatras

Sumatra Organic Gayo Mountain
Country:	Sumatra	Grade:	1	Region:	Gayo, Aceh	Mark:	Gayo Mountain Organic
Processing:	Semi-Washed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	1 d/300gr, 17 scr	Varietal:	Sumatra

	Dry Fragrance:	84	Notes: Gayo is West and North of the areas where most Mandheling and Lintong originate in the region of Aceh ( an name you will be seeing in the headlines soon as they strive for independence from Indonesia). A really wonderful shade-grown organic, Gayo Mountain is improving each year since the mill was purchased by the Holland America coffee group. This year's crop may not impress you in appearance, since it is still a natural coffee (well, semi-dry process since the coffee is pulped at the farm, then finished at the wet mill). But it definitely impresses me: there is no sign of the light water marks indicating over fermentation or uneven fermentation. While a bit of ferment might add the cup qualities we expect, yea demand, from a Sumatra, a coffee without this will be more chemically and physically stable, and consistent in the cup. The cup is less earthy/dirty than previous years but still loaded with the resonant flavors deep in the palate required of this origin. A low acid coffee, the lack of brightness means the coffee escapes the front of your palate and tongue, settling back in your throat where the body makes itself known. There's also a modicum of fruitiness in the finish. Click on logo above for certification that comes in the 60kg bag of Gayo Mountain.
	Wet Aroma:	85
	Brightness- Liveliness:	79
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	87	Roast: City. Full City+. I like this coffee roasted right to the verge of 2nd crack, or a bit lighter or a bit darker to taste. The Mandheling is better for dark roasting though. Its good in dark roast blends too
	Finish- Conclusion:	85
	Score:	84.7	Compare to: Powerful, natural Indonesians: Mandheling, Gayoland, Earthier Sulawesi
Click on logo for bag certification

Island:	Sumatra	Grade:	1	Region:	Gayo, Aceh	Mark:	Gayoland Organic
Processing:	Semiwashed/ Dry-process	Crop:	00	Appearance:	"1d"/300 gr 17/18 scr	Varietal:	Sumatra
	Frag/Aroma:	82/83	Notes: Note the "brandname" difference from the usual Gayo Mountain coffee. These are basically competing organic sources from within Aceh. And why would I carry 2 coffees with such confusing and indistinguishable names? Because the CUP that results from each could not be more different ...and we judge coffee by the cup around this place. The Gayoland is as refined a Sumatra as you will find, but still full of character and balance. It is sweet, fruity, full-bodied, with just a hint of that earthy aggressive note that dominates the Gayo Mtn. It cups as I would expect a Lintong or Golden Mandheling to cup. It just doesnt LOOK like a triple-pick Sumatra, with the about the same rough look as the Gayo Mtn. in terms of defects. Dont pick them out before roasting! Those wierd beans possess a lot of the character that makes Sumatras what they are!
	Acidity:	84
	Body:	86
	Flavor:	85
	Aftertaste:	84	Roast: Full City+. I like this coffee roasted right to the verge of 2nd crack, or a bit lighter.
	Overall:	85	Compare to:powerful, natural Indonesians

Tanzania

Tanzanian Southern Peaberry
Country:	Tanzania	Grade:	PB- Peaberry	Region:	Ruvuma -South -Songea	Mark:	-
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	01/'02	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 17 Screen	Varietal:	Nyara Typica
	Dry Fragrance:	83	Notes: It's good to have a little background information on Tanzanian coffees; A good Tanzanian coffee from the North can be a treat, but many lots that arrive in the U.S. never had a chance. The Northern coffees are grown near Kenya (Mt. Kilimanjaro) and bear that out in the cup: more acidity, lighter body. But the Southern district coffees from the mountains of the northeast rim of Lake Malawi are full bodied, have milder acidity, and extremely long in the aftertaste. The problem with Tanzanian Peaberry has less to do with where it is from and the original cup quality it possesses. Poor cup character is the result of poor transporation routes to port, and while at port the shipping container that is delayed from leaving the country can bake the coffee in the humid, blistering sun ...not good. So even a good Tanzanian coffee can go bad en route. The result are harsh, baggy flavors in the cup. The Ruvumas show none of that, and this Peaberry has a great combination of strong character with balance. It has more body than the Northern peaberry, lighter acidity, a twist of East Africa wildness (part hidey, part rooty), and a long aftertaste.
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	85
	Body- Movement:	87
	Flavor- Depth:	85	Roast: Full City or more- develops intense pungency at Vienna roast. Remenber that Peaberry tends to roast faster than corresponding "flat bean" coffee
	Finish- Conclusion:	85
	Score:	84.8	Compare to: Zambia, Zimbabwe or Kenya Peaberry we had last year.

Tanzanian AAA Ruvuma '02
Country:	Tanzania	Grade:	AAA	Region:	Ruvuma (Southern Tanzania - Songea)	Mark:	None
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	02	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18+ screen	Varietal:	Nyara Typica
	Dry Fragrance:	85	Notes: New 2002 crop Ruvuma has come in very nice, and I cupped them against all the available Zambian and Zimbabwe samples (including the disappointing -average cup of the Zimbabwe Pinnacle.) The Ruvuma AAA beat them all hands down, and it is also a little less wild than its mate, the Southern Peaberry. We received samples of coffees from the north and south of the country this year and the character to be very different. I think they are both uniquely outstanding. The Northern coffees are grown near Kenya and bear that out in the cup: more acidity, lighter body. But the Southern district coffees from Ruvuma are full bodied, have milder acidity, and extremely long in the aftertaste. It is milder in a way, not a powerhouse ... but an extgremely seductive cup! The aromatics are great, and theres just a bit of that East African wildness, found in good Zimbabwe, to keep things interesting. The preparation is excellent and this is a larger screen (size) seed. It has a very attractive aroma; sweet and laced with spice. In the immediate aftertaste there is a turpeny - piney flavor that is both unique and very attractive. To maximize the above qualities you will need to stay out of the second crack in roasting; a true City roast is what you want. But it also develops a very attractive, aromatic, sharply pungent roast taste in a darker roast.
	Wet Aroma:	85
	Brightness- Liveliness:	84
	Body- Movement:	87
	Flavor- Depth:	87	Roast: City: See note above about dark roast qualities
	Finish- Conclusion:	84	Roast: City: See note above about dark roast qualities
	Score:	85.8	Compare to: Lighter-acidity Kenyas, but more balance than their northern friends.

Tanzanian Kibo Peaberry Northern District
Country:	Rep. Of Tanzania	Grade:	Peaberry	Region:	"Kibo"	Mark:	None
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	'01	Appearance:	1d/300gr 16/18scr	Varietal:	-
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	82/84	Notes: I am prone to dislike any coffee that is overrated or has an undeserved reputation. So both "Tanzania" and "Peaberry" are by nature on my personal hit-list. I never buy a Peaberry unless it cups better that "flat-bean coffees" in a blind cupping. After all, you grind a Peaberry and you have coffee particles ...So who cares what shape the bean was initially? And Tanzanians in general have mixed quality; sometimes they cup like wanna-be Kenyas, sometimes they cup like last years dirty sneakers. They usually have a slightly gamey character hiding in the finish, and while its part of the character that makes the cup interesting, too much can be bad. Sometimes the Peaberry has a bagginess to the taste that is very "past-crop", and I suspect that since it is a popular coffee in your generic Gourmet Coffee Shop, exporters realize that they can sell it nomatter HOW it cups! Anyway, I found THIS Tanzanian Peaberry that has an appropriate amount of wildness in the cup, and that nice brightness too: it has a light-bodied, clean, bright snappy cup, very tea-like, no bagginess! THIS is how Tanzanian PB should cup.
	Brightness- Liveliness:	88
	Body- Movement:	82
	Flavor- Depth:	84
	Finish- Conclusion:	84	Roast: City to Full City. Peaberries tend to roast a bit faster due to shape and density. Peaberry is the rounded mutant bean that forms when 1 of the normal 2 seeds in the coffee cherry fails to grow.
	Score:	84	Compare to: Bright and slighly gamey East Africans.

Tanzanian AA Ruvuma Flatbean '01
Country:	Tanzania	Grade:	AA	Region:	Ruvuma (Southern Tanzania)	Mark:	None
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	01	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 17/18 screen	Varietal:	Typica
	Dry Fragrance:	85	Please note: this is a new lot of Tanzanian Flatbean that differs from the one we stocked through July 20th 2001 or so. That was an excellent Northern flatbean, this is Southern. Read the review! Notes: We don’t normally stock two Tanzanian coffees; they usually don’t vary enough to justify stocking two of them. But we received samples of coffees from the north and south of the country this year and the character to be very different. I think they are both uniquely outstandin! The Northern coffees are grown near Kenya and bear that out in the cup: more acidity, lighter body. But the Southern district coffees from Ruvuma are full bodied, have milder acidity, and extremely long in the aftertaste. It is milder in a way, not a powerhouse ... but an extgremely seductive cup! The aromatics are great, and theres just a bit of that East African wildness, found in good Zimbabwe, to keep things interesting. The preparation is excellent and this is a larger screen (size) seed. It has a very attractive aroma; sweet and laced with fresh berry. To maximize the above qualities you will need to stay out of the second crack in roasting; a true City roast is what you want. But it also develops a very attractive, aromatic, sharply pungent roast taste in a darker roast.
	Wet Aroma:	85
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	87
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: City: See note above about dark roast qualities
	Finish- Conclusion:	84	Roast: City: See note above about dark roast qualities
	Score:	85	Compare to: Lighter-flavored Kenyas

Timor

Timor Organic Aifu Gr.1
Country:	East Timor	Grade:	One	Region:	Aifu	Mark:	OCIA Certified Organic
Processing:	Wet Process	Crop:	Late 2002	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 17 Screen	Varietal:	Sumatra Varietal
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3	Notes: This is late 2002 Timor from the Aifu region, new crop for the 02/03 season. Timor is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, cruely annexed by Indonesia and recently liberated in a referendem. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started several years ago after the political crisis had resulted in untended coffee farms and horrible quality. It's due to a US AID grant to revitalize the rural economy and give small farmers a cash crop. This coffee support directly the organic growing association and its farmers --not the Indonesian govt. The coffee is pale like a good Java, and cups like one too, with a big body and deep but subtle spice in the flavor. And, unlike Java, theres a pleasant tad of acid to round out the cup too. Really, Timor is a rising star in Indonean coffees with 2 major regions producing coffee ... Maubese is higher- altitude terrain than Aifu region. I like them both. Maubese is a little brighter so most brokers / cuppers prefer it over the Aifu, but if you selectively buy from the best lots the Aifu can be every bit as good. Early in the crop cycle the Aifu cups best, and later on the Maubese is a little better. And of course that's why you will see us stock Aifu early in the new crop and the Maubese later.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		8
Body - Movement (1-5)		3.5
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		0	Roast: Light, medium, dark ...this coffee is very versatile
add 50		50	Compare to: What a really good Java should taste like ... bears some resemblence to Papua New Guinea too in its balance, brightness, and clean taste
Score (Max. 100)		83.5

Uganda

Ugandan Budadiri AA "Specialty" '02
Country:	Uganda	Grade:	AA-S	Region:	Mbale Budadiri	Mark:	Specialty Grade AA-S
Processing:	Washed	Crop:	2001/ 2002	Appearance:	1d/300gr	Varietal:	Kents, Typica
					18/19 scr
	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: This year we have a new higer-grade preparation on the Uganda Budadiri: the green coffee is better screened and dry-milled, and the cup quality is very nice! Uganda is right next to Kenya (the coffees are very different though), on the equator, has similar altitude and climate. Why haven't we been enjoying this incredible coffee in the US for so many years? Trade embargoes is a problem, and a sordid political past. It takes years to rebuild an arabica crop, and this AA is some of the most wonderful coffee I have tasted from Uganda. The best coffees are Budadiri and Bugisu and come from the slopes of Mount Elgon in the Northeast along the Kenya border. It is a deep-toned coffee with syrupy heavy body and great chocolatey taste. This lot has nice pungency and the flavors real pass the front of your pallette (where acidy coffees register) and goes to the back and roof of the mouth. The body is outstanding and the aftertaste is long. There's a subtle unique wild note in the flavor that I would describe as a little leathery: I know that doesn't sound appetizing but it is really quite attractive if you like intense, wild coffees! Depth ...That's the keyword here, and I love deep coffees I can taste time and time again, discovering new tastes emerging from the dark brew. Large bean size. Blending with Uganda is great too since it offers body and depth. Try 50-50 Uganda Harar! Roast that blend a little darker and try it as espresso: excellent!
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	79
	Body- Movement:	89
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: Full City, or dark. Best origin character at Full City, but serious dark roast potential here too. Allow roast to rest 48 hours to allow body to develop.
	Finish- Conclusion:	86
	Score:	84.2	Compare to: Java, Burundi ...NOT Kenya

Ugandan Organic Bugisu A '01
Country:	Uganda	Grade:	A	Region:	Bugisu	Mark:	Organic Certified
Processing:	Wet-Process (cups like a DP coffee though	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	2d/300gr	Varietal:	Kents, Typica
					17/18 scr
	Dry Fragrance:	83	Notes: This coffee has a bit of historic value: it is the first certified Organic coffee from Africa that has been brokered into the US! And we hope it is the first of many to come. The fact is, many small-holder farms from East Africa and particularly in the horn of Africa (Ethiopia) grow coffee by traditional methods, that is, Organic. We call these "passive organic" but never actually list them or describe them as Organic. It would be inaccurate and unfair to call passive organic coffees truly Organic in the same way a certified one is ... inpected, evaluated organized, educated farming. Uganda is right next to Kenya (the coffees are very different though), on the equator, has similar altitude and climate. The best coffees are branded Bugisu and come from the slopes of Mount Elgon in the Northeast along the Kenya border. It is a deep-toned coffee with syrupy body and intensely chocolatey taste. There's a unique wild note in the flavor that I would describe as leathery: I know that doesn't sound appetizing but it is really quite attractive if you like intense, wild coffees! I was told it could be used as a Java coffee in a Moka-Java blend, but it doesn't have that hint of sweetness in the low tones ...instead it is pungent and very pleasant. Depth ...That's the keyword here, and I love deep coffees I can taste time and time again, discovering new tastes emerging from the dark brew. This Organic lot has more wild, fruity flavors in it, a sort of coffee-cherry sweetness that might border on ferment to some. I love it, especially roasted light to underscore the fruitiness. But if you find that a little too much for you, you can enjoy the deep complexity and great body of this coffee by roasting it a bit darker -Full City or even Vienna. This Organic lot also has a smaller bean size (hence the A grade) than the previous Mbale lot, and is a bit rougher in appearance. But for those who like natural-process coffees from Africa, this cups much like it even though it is a wet-processed coffee. *There are few true estate Ugandan coffees.
	Wet Aroma:	85
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: Full City, or dark. Best origin character at City to Full City, but serious dark roast potential here too.
	Finish- Conclusion:	86
	Score:	84.8	Compare to: Java, Timor, Papua New Guinea ...NOT Kenya

Ugandan Bugisu AA '01
Country:	Uganda	Grade:	AA	Region:	Mbale Bugisu	Mark:	*Non-Estate Lot
Processing:	Washed	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	1d/300gr	Varietal:	Kents, Typica
					18/19 scr
	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: Uganda is right next to Kenya (the coffees are very different though), on the equator, has similar altitude and climate. Why haven't we been enjoying this incredible coffee in the US for so many years? Trade embargoes is a problem, and a sordid political past. It takes years to rebuild an arabica crop, and this AA is some of the most wonderful coffee I have tasted from Uganda. The best coffees are branded Bugisu and come from the slopes of Mount Elgon in the Northeast along the Kenya border. It is a deep-toned coffee with syrupy body and intensely chocolatey taste. There's a unique wild note in the flavor that I would describe as leathery: I know that doesn't sound appetizing but it is really quite attractive if you like intense, wild coffees! I was told it could be used as a Java coffee in a Moka-Java blend, but it doesn't have that hint of sweetness in the low tones ...instead it is pungent and very pleasant. Depth ...That's the keyword here, and I love deep coffees I can taste time and time again, discovering new tastes emerging from the dark brew. Large bean size. *There are few true estate Ugandan coffees.
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: Full City, or dark. Best origin character at Full City, but serious dark roast potential here too.
	Finish- Conclusion:	86
	Score:	84.8	Compare to: Java, Timor, Papua New Guinea ...NOT Kenya

Vietnam

Vietnamese Robusta DP
Country:	Vietnam	Grade:	Whatever	Region:	n/a	Mark:	n/a
Processing:	Dry-processed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	cruddy	Varietal:	Coffea Canefora
	Dry Fragrance:	awful	Notes: We offer Vietnamese Robusta as an educational experience for our customers and ourselves. This is the coffee that has become the second largest coffee producting nation behind Brazil in a short course of 8 years, and all this crappy coffee is coming to the U.S. for use in low-grade canned coffee, and freeze-dried or spray-dried usage. You can bet you booty that any type of highly processed coffee beverage made from a powder at your local coffee boutique, such as Mochachino and Caramel Iced Frappelatte are made with Vietnamese Robusta. And all those bizarre "cappuccino machines" and truck stops... you guessed it. Institutional coffee suppliers use this for large, low quality office coffee. so give it a try, but we ask you to respect our 1 Lb. Limit, for your safety and for our reputation!
	Wet Aroma:	worse
	Brightness- Liveliness:	lacking
	Body- Movement:	pathetic
	Flavor- Depth:	fecal	Roast: Robustas need a lot more roast to force them into the first and second cracks. Cracks are very hard to hear! This is partly due to the low density of the coffee since it is grown practically at sea level altitude.
	Finish- Conclusion:	appalling
	Score:	hellish	Compare to: Dirt clods, cardboard, dung ... need I go on. For educational purposes only. (Or perhaps fiendish torture). Don't tell anyone you got it from us!

Yemen

Yemen Raimi (Mocca Rimy)
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	good question!	Region:	Raimi	Mark:	"Mocca Rimy"
Processing:	Natural Dry Process	Crop:	2001/2002	Appearance:	2d/300gr 14/16scr	Varietal:	Heirloom Arabica
	Frag/Aroma:	86/88	Notes: It is quite possible that this coffee originates in the Yemeni growing region Djebel Remi, either way Rimy is the exporters translation from Arabic of Raimi. Like all great Yemeni coffees, its a good mystery. Yemen is the Cousin It of the coffee world, oddball with the eccentric and brilliant character. Genuine Yemeni is a small, very dense seed, roasts terribly uneven in terms of color, and will stun your nose and palates each time you get a whiff or a sip of it! The Raimi is intensely chocolate with heavy dried fruit notes in the background, lush, smoky ...serious stuff! There is something musky and slightly fermented about a good Yemen, and Rimy displays all the heralded cup qualities with a flourish! For a neat article on Yemen coffee, go straight to the source ...The Yemeni Home Page! For a fascinating brief on Yemen, check out the CIA web page ...No, I am not kidding, its the most informative geographic web site around!
	Acidity:	86
	Body:	85
	Flavor:	85
	Aftertaste:	87	Roast: Full City, or darker. Roasts very unevenly, and that's part of what gives it complexity in the cup. Let the darker beans enter 2nd crack, and the laggards will be at City stage.Alpenrost alert: this coffee might be too small to roast effctively in the Alp, no problem in the air roasters though.It is the largest bean of the Yemens though, so if you really want to roast a Yemen in the Alp, this is it.
	Overall:	86.1	Compare to: coffees sold as Yemen Sana'ani, Mocca, or Mattari. Not for people who like a clean, snappy cup of coffee from Costa Rica!

Yemen Mokha Mattari
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	N/A	Region:	Bani Mattar	Mark:	YMCT
Processing:	Natural Dry Process	Crop:	2001/2002	Appearance:	2 d/300gr, 15-17 Screen	Varietal:	Yemen Heirloom Arabica
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		4	Notes: A balanced and potent Yemeni coffee that avoids a bit of the hidey flavors that can emerge in the Raimi (which is grown at lower elevation and is not as well processed as this Mattari. Mattari coffees are grown in the Bani Mattar region to the west of the capital city of Sana'aa. These coffees are considered more complex that the Sana'ani coffees, partly due to the higher growing elevation. The seeds are small and can cause a bit of a problem in roasters like the Alpenrost or a stovetop cranking popcorn popper, although its certainly not a reason to avoid selecting it. In air roasters, I prefer to rest this coffee 48 hours to bring out body, complexity and balance. For comparison, the Coffee Review.Com rated it at 86 (highest Mattari in the cupping) and said: "Richly acidy, solid, straightforward, this coffee distinguished itself less by its fruity nuance than by its general dimension and boldness: "good intensity & depth," ... "good concentration & complexity," Shimmers of fruit and chocolate simplify as the cup cools." I find it cleaner and a bit milder than other Yemeni coffees, more sophisticated, less fermenty. It has a unique banana flavor when I roast it to a lighter city stage, and turns pungent with darker roasting.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		3
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		7.75
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9
Body - Movement (1-5)		4.5
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		8
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		0	Roast: City to Full City. At the City Stage (first crack has completed and second has not yet begun) it is fruity, and at Full City (at the verge of 2nd crack or a few snaps into it) it develops a nice chocolate roast taste. Alpenrost alert: this coffee might be too small to roast effectively in the Alp, no problem in the air roasters though.
Add 50		50	Compare to: Complex Yemeni coffees
Score (Max. 100)		86.25

Yemen Mokha Sana'ani -Haimi
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	n/a	Region:	Sanai	Mark:	YMCT
Processing:	Natural Dry Process	Crop:	2002	Appearance:	1 d/300gr, 15-17 Screen	Varietal:	Heirloom Yemeni
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		4	Notes: The coffee from the hillsides around the capital of Sanai is referred to as Sana'ani, although there are different types and a variety of cup characters. In general it is fair to say that Sana'ani coffees are lighter-bodied and perhaps fruitier than Raimi, Mattari or Ismaili (Hirazi) coffees. They are a little brighter than the Raimi, which is the other fruited Yemeni cup. While roasting the Haimi, you will notice a very unique aroma that hints at the unique nature of the resulting cup. While it is a little unclear if Haimi is a sub-region of Sanai area or the ethnic group of the people from a subregion that farm the coffee (I believe the later is true, as it is with Raimi or the Saihi type Sana'ani), it is a more potent cup with greater body than other available Sanani (non-specific as to the region) that I cupped it against. The Haimi has a distinct "dried banana" finish to the cup when roasted light and becomes wonderfully pungent taken a bit darker.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		4
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9
Body - Movement (1-5)		3
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		1	Roast: Yemeni coffees are natural dry-processed by the centuries-old method, usually on the roof of the farmers house in the terraced coffee-treed hillsides. Expect uneven roast colors, and lots of chaff. Do not cull out odd looking seeds since these add the character to the cup that makes it a Yemeni coffee. I prefer this coffee roasted right to second crack, then rested a full 24 hours, or more. Many like Yemeni coffees roasted darker than this, for they produce great pungency (at the cost of fruitiness).
add 50		50	Compare to: Dry-processed, natural, wild coffees! It is fruity like the Raimi, but with more clear sharpness in the cup. The cup results are highly variable, from batch to batch, from cup to cup! It's one of the great things that keeps Yemeni coffees so fascinating.
Score (Max. 100)		88

AGED Yemen Mokha Mattari
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	N/A	Region:	Mattari	Mark:
Processing:	Sun-dried, Aged in Yemen	Crop:	'98 crop	Appearance:	1d/300gr 15/16scr	Varietal:	Yemen Heirloom Arabica
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	84/86	Notes: We were able to get a limited amount of an aged Yemen Mattari (220 lbs total!) that was mellowing at altitude in the Yemeni highlands since 1998. It does not develop the orangey color of an Aged Sumatra but is a pale yellow, and sicne the size is larger and their is some weight loss in aging, we have to pack it in slightly larger bags. What you will notice is that this coffee is smooth, without any harsh wild notes, but still very much a Yemeni coffee. The body is excellent, and it is spicey and a bit hidey. I get a neat anise flavor in the finish and aftertaste. It is not fruity in the least bit, like the Raimi is... If you like Yemeni coffee, try a lb. because it is unlikely I will ever be able to get this again (in fact, it was a fluke because this silk-bagged aged coffee was acccidently shipped along woth some standard Yemens to an exporter, who then offered it to us.)
	Brightness- Liveliness:	78
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	86
	Finish- Conclusion:	87	Roast: Full City. Allow this coffee to rest 24 hours !
	Score:	86.5	Compare to: Complex Yemeni coffees

Yemen Mokha Mattari
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	N/A	Region:	Mattari	Mark:	YMCT Exports
Processing:	Sun-dried	Crop:	'00	Appearance:	1d/300gr 15/16scr	Varietal:	Yemen Heirloom Arabica
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	88/86	Notes: An balanced and potent Yemeni coffee that avoids a bit of the hidey flavors that can emerge in the Raimi (which is grown at lower elevation and is not as well processed as this Mattari. Mattari coffees are grown in the Bani Mattar region to the west of the capital city of Sana'aa. These coffees are considered more complex that the Sana'ani coffees, partly due to the higher growing elevation. The seeds are small and can cause a bit of a problme in roasters like the Alpenrost or a stovetop cranking popcorn popper, although its certainly not a reason to avoid selecting it. In air roasters, I prefer to rest this coffee 48 hours to bring out body, complexity and balance. For comparison, the Coffee Review rated it at 86 (highest Mattari in the cupping) and said: "Richly acidy, solid, straightforward, this coffee distinguished itself less by its fruity nuance than by its general dimension and boldness: "good intensity & depth," ... "good concentration & complexity," Shimmers of fruit and chocolate simplify as the cup cools."
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	87
	Flavor- Depth:	88
	Finish- Conclusion:	87	Roast: City to Full City. At the City Stage (first crack has completed and second has not yet begun) it is fruity, and at Full City (at the verge of 2nd crack or a few snaps into it) it develops a nice chocolate roast taste. Alpenrost alert: this coffee might be too small to roast effctively in the Alp, no problem in the air roasters though.
	Score:	86.5	Compare to: Complex Yemeni coffees

Yemen Mokha Sana'ani
Country:	Yemen	Grade:	N/A	Region:	Sana'ani	Mark:	None
Processing:	Dry-processed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 15-17 Screen	Varietal:	Moka
	Dry Fragrance:	86	Notes: Sana'ani refers to any coffee grown in the high altitudes around the Yemeni capital of Sanai.I cup them regulairy and they vary in quality. Our favorite was Yemen Sana'ani Saihi-type, but this has been unavailable for some time. But I received this Sana'ani sample and it cupped exactly like the Saihi: Apricot-peach fruitiness, a winey depth to the acidity, a touch of earth in the cup. The body is light. I love the way this coffee passes through your senses while drinking it: it begans with a burst of pungent, earthy, hidey flavor; as the curtain lifts on the first wave of flavor a light, delicate peach-apricot fruitiness is revealed, and in the end a bit of cinnamon spiciness. This is the brightest and fruitiest (and perhaps the cleanest cup) of the Yemens I have. It has wonderful fragrance as a dry coffee and great wet aromatics! The aftertaste is not as long as some other Yemens but the fruity notes alone are a compelling reason to buy this coffee! There are so many aromatics dancing around this cup I feel like a Kaffe-drunk Kaldi stumbling around, stunned with happiness. Now where did I leave those damn goats?
	Wet Aroma:	88
	Brightness- Liveliness:	86
	Body- Movement:	83
	Flavor- Depth:	85	Roast: City Roast or darker. It certainly is outstanding and powerful in the darker stages, but I really like it roasted just to the City stage. You need to rest Yemens 1-2 days to allow the body to develop. Alpenrost Alert: this is a small bean coffee and will give you trouble in the Alpenrost drum, though not impossible to roast.
	Finish- Conclusion:	84
	Score:	85.3	Compare to: Nothing other than Yemen.

Zambia

Zambia Lupili AA
Country:	Zambia	Grade:	AA	Region:	Northern,Muchinga	Mark:	Lupili Farm
Processing:	Wet processed	Crop:	02	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18-19 Screen	Varietal:	Tanzanian and Kenya Varietals
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		4.0	Notes: Zambian coffees recent to the Specialty trade and perhaps yet to emerge from the long shadow cast by the East African powerhouse, Kenya. But like their cousins from Zimbabwe they can be uniquely endowed with both balance, sweetness and interesting wild notes emerging in the aromatics and aftertaste. It takes some searching and patience to find a good single-Estate Zambian though. There were some generic lots in the U.S. last year, peaberry in particular, where off flavors dominated to cup, and there was no sweetness to provide balance. The Lupili has a range of flavors within the cup, and can produce a range of cups: it can take a wide altitude of roasts and produce interesting cup character as a result. Roasted to a lighter City Roast stage (through first crack completely, stopping before any hint of 2nd Crack) the cup is lively, zested with a bit of tangerine acidity, caramelly, and having that distinct East African wild note (sage/goldenseal herbiness, a little leathery-?-) emerge in the aftertaste. And on the subject of aftertaste, it is extremely long given the balance of the cup. Candy-malty caramelly roast taste shift to bittersweet tones as you go from a City Roast to a Full City+, a few snaps into 2nd crack. The coffee is excellent in an case and invites your interpretation in terms of "degree of roast".
Wet Aroma (1-5)		4.0
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.0
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.0
Body - Movement (1-5)		3.5
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		9.0
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		0.0	Roast: This can take darker roasts and the wild note in the coffee will turn into a bittersweet pungency, but I like it at the lighter City stage and rested for 24 hours, where the aftertaste comes as a surprise in a balanced and somewhat sweet caramelly cup. But there is more balance and softness as the coffee nears 2nd crack. The drum roaster (Alpenrost or the HotTop we are testing) create nice roasts of this coffee too.
add 50		50	Compare to: Really nice Zimbabwe
Score (Max. 100)		87.5

Zambia AA Isanya Estate
Country:	Zambia	Grade:	AA+	Region:	Muchinga	Mark:	Isanya Estate
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	2001	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18 Screen	Varietal:
	Dry Fragrance:	83	Notes: Zambian and Zimbabwe coffees usually have the same general character; less acidic than most Kenyas, great body and balance in the cup, and a unique East African wild flavor to keep things interesting! We only buy Zambian when we find a really excellent example of this coffee, and here it is, the Isanya Estate 2001. Mind you, this is not as mild and balanced as our Zimbabwe offerings from earlier in the year. This has a strong wild note, some may call it gamey, up front, fading into a fruity sweeter profile. The combination of these two different profiles, an exotic and slighty aggressivbe flavor fading into sweetness, and the great body and long aftertaste, make this a very complex and interesting cup! The fruitiness itself is intersting because it reminds me of the particular taste of the coffee cherry fruit itself when you pick a ripe one right off the tree.
	Wet Aroma:	84
	Brightness- Liveliness:	87
	Body- Movement:	80
	Flavor- Depth:	83	Roast: Full City+ Roast: I prefer this coffee lighter but I think it really shines when it is roasted a few snaps into the 2nd Crack. This diminishes some fo the wildness in the cup and brings out some very deep, intesnse bittersweet roast tastes.
	Finish- Conclusion:	84
	Score:	83.5	Compare to: Tarrazu of past years, but it is superior to all the Tarrazu and other SHB Costa Ricans we have received from the 2001 crop!

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Salimba AA+
Country:	Zimbabwe	Grade:	AA+	Region:	Chipinga	Mark:	Salimba
Processing:	Sun-dry processed	Crop:	01/'02	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18 Screen	Varietal:	Caturra, Agaaro
Dry Fragrance (1-5)		3.0	Notes: The best estate Zimbabwe coffees are prized for their balance in the cup ...which might sound like it is mild, but that is not the case at all. Balanced coffees are a "complete cup." They have all the desirable qualities. A really good Zimbabwe has moderate acidity, rich flavors, good body and aftertaste. The problem is, there are many coffee lots sold as generic Zimbabwe which theoretically can be good but in reality are often not. (part of this is the difficulty with shipping coffee from this land-locked nation. Coffee steaming in 100 degree weather in a metal shipping container for 6 weeks while waiting for pickup is not good for cup quality!) So simply being a Zimbabwe coffee is by no means enough. That said, there are the uncertain political environment affecting agriculture and commerce now, and so coffee from Zimbabwe is hard to come by. But we found this Salimba sample, graded for bean size at AA+, and with all the good character expected of this origin. It develops excellent roast flavors at Full City, and has that smack of East African wildness, just a bit hidey, in the aftertaste. Alternating between slightly sweet-caramelly and bittersweet pungency, your choice of roast between City and Full City will accent different characters in this coffee. If you chose a light roast interpretation, let the coffee rest a little longer before brewing - 24 hours at least. You can also make interesting straight espresso from the Salimba, although I am sure Mr. Illy will turn in his grave at the suggestion.
Wet Aroma (1-5)		4.0
Brightness - Acidity (1-10)		8.0
Flavor - Depth (1-10)		9.0
Body - Movement (1-5)		3.0
Finish - Aftertaste (1-10)		7.0
Cupper's Correction (1-5)		3.0	Roast: City to Full City: (see review).
add 50		50	Compare to: Excellent complexity/depth and a unique origin flavors that shift greatly depending on roast...
Score (Max. 100)		87.0

Zimbabwe AA+ Lynwood Estate
Country:	Zimbabwe	Grade:	AA+	Region:	Chapinga	Mark:	Lynwood Estate
Processing:	wet-processed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	0d/300gr 18+ scr	Varietal:	Blue mountain, Catimor, Catuai
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	84/84	Notes: The best estate Zimbabwe coffees are prized for their balance in the cup ...which might sound like it is mild, but that is not the case at all. Balanced coffees are a "complete cup." They have all the desireable qualities. A really good Zimbabwe has moderate acidity, rich flavors, good body and aftertaste. The problem is, there are many coffee lots sold as generic Zimbabwe which theoretically can be good but in reality are often not. So simply being a Zimbabwe coffee is by no means enough. This said, it has taken us quite a while to find a relaly good one and here it is. The Lynwood surpased all the current samples we could get our hands on including Sweet Acres, Pinnacle (last years favorite) and several generic lots. It has great aroma and yes, balance. Of course, all Zimbabwe and East African coffees are overshadowed by the Kenyas but they really should be appraised on their own. This is a coffee that is a great crowd-pleaser too ...in my mind you could open a really high-end coffeehouse and serve Full City roasted Lynwood and Timor as your only 2 House coffees, and everyone would love you!
	Brightness- Livliness:	86
	Body- Movement:	85
	Flavor- Depth:	85
	Finish- Conclusion:	88	Roast: Full City. This coffee has a wide latitude in roasting: if you like the bright notes, keep it lighter. If you want the really chocolately roast taste, stop right as second crack begins.
	Score:	85.3	Compare to: Other historically great Zimb and Zambian ...really good one...

Peru SHG Organic Chanchamayo-FT
Country:	Peru	Grade:	SHG	Region:	Chanchamayo	Mark:	La Florida Co-op, OCIA Organic Cert., Fair Trade Cert.
Processing:	Washed	Crop:	midcrop 2001	Appearance:	1d/300gr 16/17scr	Varietal:	Typica
	Dry Frag./ Wet Aroma:	83/85	Notes: A complex coffee with a good punch to it too... Perus are very high grown and sometimes I feel the acidity is a bit too high and too removed from the rest of the flavor profile. The acidity can be a bit blunt in some lots. This was the case with something being sold last year as Andes Gold, whatever that means. The Chanchamayo samples last year were okay but this is much more powerful...so here it is, a year later and I have a good stockpile of Peruvian Chanchamayo (pronounced just as it reads). Good acidy component in darker blends too. I use this stuff "in-house" a lot. Really incredible price, and great character; if you like Centrals, try this for sure! Look for smokey flavors that are independent of roast.
	Brightness- Liveliness:	85
	Body- Movement:	82
	Flavor- Depth:	85
	Finish- Conclusion:	85	Roast: Full City, or dark in blends.
	Score:	85.5	Compare to: Panama, Guatemalan, Costa Rican

Peru Chanchamayo Corona 18+
Country:	Peru	Grade:	SHG	Region:	Chanchamayo	Mark:	Corona Royal 18+
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	00/01	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 18+ scr	Varietal:	Bourbon, Typica
	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: A large bean coffee with a great cup at a low price: that’s pretty much a home run formula. The bean screen at 18/64 th's or above, which is how coffee size is measured. Large bean coffees are not necessarily better by any means. But it is going to roast evenly, be free of defective or partial beans, and have consistencey in the cup. And if a large bean coffee does happen to cup very well, then all's well. Chanchamayo is the premier growing region in Peru, but Cuzco (from near Machu Picchu), Puno (from the extreme South) and coffees from the North can be good. Chanchamayo coffees benefit from the most modern wet-mill processing facilities and best transportation routes to port at Callao. This is a medium to full body cup, good bright acidity and medium to long in the aftertaste, a complete package in the cup!
	Wet Aroma:	82
	Brightness- Liveliness:	86
	Body- Movement:	85
	Flavor- Depth:	85	Roast: City to Full City: Classic central amercian cup character but not as delicate as others so it can take a heavier roast and retain "origin character".
	Finish- Conclusion:	83
	Score:	84	Compare to: bolder Centrals

Puerto Rican Yauco Selecto AA - '02
Country:	US; Puerto Rico	Grade:	AA	Region:	Yauco	Mark:	Hacienda Santa Ana
Processing:	Wet-processed	Crop:	01/02	Appearance:	0 d/300gr, 16/17 scr	Varietal:	Bourbon, Typica
	Dry Fragrance:	82	Notes: Yauco Selecto is the premium coffee from the small growing regions on the island. Production is limited and the last count I could find was 3500 bags per year …in the scheme of things its not much! Many other price factors bear on this coffee too: since it is produced in the US the price refelects what US consumers should probably be paying for all coffee, if origins enjoyed the protections that we grant our own. There is a long tradition of coffee from Puerto Rico that was destroyed by a combination of hurricane damage and market pressures. In Europe, PR coffees were considered the pinnacle, because they have unparalleled bidy for an island coffee, and ample flavor/complexity. The coffee is air-frieghted in small quantities to the US, so it is basically always fresh from the Yauco Selecto mill. To be frank, I didn't touch this coffee for the last 2 years because the cup was lackluster. A combination of weather factors and storm damage took its toll. But I was happy to find this cup from new crop sample to have the character I remember: first and foremost a creamy, buttery body. It is not a sweet coffee; it is more bittersweet with a pleasant aromatic woodyness and some light spice in the aftertaste. It is pricey, but kicks Jamaican rear, and in that repect its less than half the price!
	Wet Aroma:	82
	Brightness- Liveliness:	83
	Body- Movement:	88
	Flavor- Depth:	86	Roast: City to Full City. Please take note: I have noted that this coffee takes a little more roast time to reach a Full City roast than other coffees …take that into account, and considering the price I would set the roaster to a high number and manually stop the roast when you hear the first snap of second crack!
	Finish- Conclusion:	86
	Score:	85	Compare to: Island coffee with an attitude: has the mellowness of other island coffees, with more body and excellent bittersweet flavors