Yemen Mokha Sanani

Sanani has the kind of intensity that's unique to Yemeni coffee, rustic and bittersweet flavors vying for equal footing in the cup, and body that's about as thick as coffee gets! The fragrance of the ground coffee has intense spice and burnt sugar notes, accented by potent notes of dried fruit and cherry wood. The wet aroma had a fruit syrupy note, with Chai spice, coriander, dark roasted cacao nibs and something like charred cedar. The cup flavors covered similar ground, bittersweet and a little fruity, with woody spices and earth-toned characteristics up and down the different roast levels we tested. Medium roasts are very thick-bodied, with layers of rustic palm sugar, dried fruit hints and a complex earth-toned aroma that's both spiced and savory. The cup sweetness has elements of burnt brown sugars and barley malt syrup, accented by notes of toasted pumpkin seeds and saffron cookie. The profile opens up to fruited hints, like natural dried apricot and prune, and the spiced elements take on more of a woody dimension - think whole cloves and cinnamon sticks, with a bit of woody incense in the aftertaste. You can really drive up the deep, chocolate-toned flavors in the dark roasts, and the finish seems to last forever no matter the roast level! All roasted coffee benefits from resting, but we find this to be particularly true for Yemeni coffee. Best with 72 hours+ rest.