Sweet Maria's Weblog

colombia cup of excellence, 2 fantastic kenya coffees

We have a Cup of Excellence arrival and 2 new Kenya lots! The Colombia Cup of Excellence - El Caucho is a complex and intense cup, with dark fruited notes, and a unique sweet tobacco finish. Kenya AA Nyeri - Karatina is a bright floral and citrus blossom coffee, a cup that brings the term "pristine" to mind. Kenya Thika - Gethumbwini Peaberry is a powerhouse, with intense brightness, but also deeply fruited berry notes with a winey aspect to them.

the blog is back, and postdated coffee arrivals

Okay, after our server move, we lost contact with the database that drives the web log. so know we are back up! I am dating this back at 6/29 when these new arrivals came in, although today is 7/7! We have four new arrivals, all quite unsual and fringe in terms of conventional coffee offerings. Costa Rica Coop Dota Dry-Process (yes, dry-process in the Ethiopia style, but from Costa Rica) is fruited, full-bodied, rustic, and definitely odd. How about monsooned coffee, already peculiar in terms of appearance and cup character, but not from India? We have Java Monsooned Arabica in stock, with an unusual sweetness and spiciness in the cup (...and yet it is an aquired taste). And then there is our exceptionaly bright, lively decaf blend, Africa Highlands WP Decaf, with components from Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. Finally, for espresso blends we have a new lot, India Robusta -Bibi Plantation (from the same great farm that grows our India Monsooned with the Elephant Mark). (Links to reviews coming soon)

kenya, ethiopia, panama, guatemala

Arrivals from Central America and Africa new crop:

Kenya AA Muranga - Kariani Our next Auction Lot has arrived and I can sum it up easily: blackberry syrup.
Ethiopia Kochere District Yirgacheffe has lime and kumquat citrus notes, with spicey accents
Guatemala FTO Huehuetenango -Asobagri Coop is balanced, fruited, with silky body
Panama Boquete Lerida Estate Peaberry clean, crisp and bright. This is a special lot the farm does just for us.

two classic lots: costa rica la minita & colo reserva del patron

We have received two of our old standby coffees. The new crop Costa Rica Tarrazu -Hacienda La Minita has arrived, and in a blind cupping it stands up well against the new costa rica coffees from naranjo and dota. It is exceptionally clean (pristine might be a better term), with delicate, bright acidity. As it cools, floral notes and vanilla emerge. The Colombia Reserva del Patron, from the Narino region in the south, is in. The main features here are remarkable balance, body, sweet chocolate at Full City to F+ roast - this is crowd-pleaser coffee. FYI: I have 4 new lots coming, possibly uploaded today or monday, including another great Kenya and our special Panama Lerida Peaberry, a nice FTO Guatemala, and a super-floral/citric Yirgacheffe. So if you are in need of coffee, you might want to wait for those selections to apear.

march of the centrals

The award winning Panama Carmen Estate 1800+ Meters, our special selection of the highest altutude coffee from this farm, is back in stock again, as bright and dynamic as ever. And we have a new farm source for an all-Bourbon varietal: El Salvador SHB Pulp Natural -San Emilio, with dense body and excellent chocolate character with a fruited subtext. Nicaragua FTO Esteli - Miraflor Coop sold out quickly but has now returned, which has very high roasts for cup quality this year, and roast notes at the City+ level.