Burundi Dry Process Colline Kigina

Kigina turned out to be very versatile in the roaster. It delivered berry-toned flavors in both our roast tests, with fruited brightness and rustic raw sugars at City, and more of a weighty bittersweet backdrop with dried fruit accents in the medium roasts. Grinding the coffee releases sweet undertones accented by dried berries, and a fragrant honey note. The aroma from the wet grounds extracts a more caramelized sweetness, like cooked brown sugars accented by pastry fillings of dark stone fruits, and a distinct note of steeped black tea. At City roast level, the brew has a nice berry-laden profile that weaves in notes unrefined sugars, like sorghum syrup and date sugar. It's a moderately bright dry process coffee too, with hints of fruit syrups, blackberry, and fig paste providing flavorful counterpoints to bittersweet notes that are a bit more resounding in the aftertaste. There's a tropical note as it cools that reminded me of guava candies and dried mango, and the finish showed a hint of blueberry muffin too. If you're like me, and enjoy fruited espresso, Kigina's a real showstopper, but not for the faint of heart! Shots are layered with dark chocolate and fruit flavors, like extra dark chocolate, fruit compote, and raspberry-chocolate truffles. Perfect for my taste, but perhaps too "wild" for those after more chocolate-toned espresso.