Guatemala Honey Process Aguacatones

For a honey process coffee, Aguacatones doesn't present the fruit-forward profile of some others. Instead, it's much more focused around brightly accented sweetness, creamy undertones and lively citrus accents. When ground, my City roast showed a very nice level of sweetness amidst the darker roast notes, dried fruit and whipped honey, baking spice, and pungent cocoa. Pouring the hot water drew out a potent caramel scent, accented by torched sugar (think brûlée crust), vanilla, and chocolate. The brew is sweet and bright from the drop, with fruit accents as it cools that never quite take over the cup. Raw sugar and dark honey notes build a nice base sweetness, accented by brisk black tea with lemon, leading to some bittering citrus peel and cocoa aspects in the mouthfeel. A hint of strawberry tacks on tartaric aspects to the acidic impression, shifting to dried date in the aftertaste, with a cinnamon stick accent in the nose. Full City roasts still show acidity, but the flavors shift to more dark-toned fruits, like dried fig, and a very slight winey hint that adds a pleasant sharpness to tangy bittersweet flavors. Bright as it may be for a Guatemalan coffee, flavors start to find balance with a few days rest off-roast, and the tart elements feel much more integrated into the flavor profile.