Source: Starbucks 'Medium'
Date: 11 May 2014
Country: Colombia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere
Nose of grounds: Rich, nutty, even
Colour of brew: Deep, dark brown
Nose of brew: Earthy/leaves, but pretty faint
Early flavours: Light, nutty
Finish: Short, punchy finish
Tasting notes:
Sunday 11 May 2014
Sunday 4 May 2014
Guest Review 1: Waitrose Kenyan AA Arabica
Source: Waitrose
Date: 4 May 2014
Country: Kenya
Beans: Arabica, AA
Preparation: Cafetiere
Nose of grounds: Rich, citrusy with a sweet "after-nose"
Colour of brew: Brown
Nose of brew: Slightly nutty, soft
Early flavours: Smooth and light taste
Finish: Short and clean.
Tasting notes:
At £3.29 for 227g, this is one of Waitrose's premium range of coffee beans. I've tried a few different Kenya AA coffees, but this is the first supermarket-branded variety I've seen, and I was curious to see how it would compare to others.
As it happens, I was most impressed by the smells of the beans and the grounds, both of which left a distinct mouth-wateringly pleasant sensation. The coffee drinking itself was enjoyable, but I think I might have slightly overestimated its strength, and didn't get all the flavours coming through in the actual brew.
The citrusy flavours that the label suggested were not the most prominent, but there was a distinct sweetness about the coffee. It was easy and light to drink, and left a clean pleasant feeling on the tongue.
Coffee maker's notes:
A top AA graded coffee grown in the northern region of Nairobi on high plateaus surrounding Mount Kenya and to the west along the Rift Valley, at an altitude of between 1500-2100 metres. This climate produces two harvests per year, in March and then October. The fermentation time ranges from 24 to 48 hours. All coffee is graded by the Kenyan coffee board and then sold at fortnightly auctions. Use this sticker to reclose.
Date: 4 May 2014
Country: Kenya
Beans: Arabica, AA
Preparation: Cafetiere
Nose of grounds: Rich, citrusy with a sweet "after-nose"
Colour of brew: Brown
Nose of brew: Slightly nutty, soft
Early flavours: Smooth and light taste
Finish: Short and clean.
Tasting notes:
At £3.29 for 227g, this is one of Waitrose's premium range of coffee beans. I've tried a few different Kenya AA coffees, but this is the first supermarket-branded variety I've seen, and I was curious to see how it would compare to others.
As it happens, I was most impressed by the smells of the beans and the grounds, both of which left a distinct mouth-wateringly pleasant sensation. The coffee drinking itself was enjoyable, but I think I might have slightly overestimated its strength, and didn't get all the flavours coming through in the actual brew.
The citrusy flavours that the label suggested were not the most prominent, but there was a distinct sweetness about the coffee. It was easy and light to drink, and left a clean pleasant feeling on the tongue.
Coffee maker's notes:
A top AA graded coffee grown in the northern region of Nairobi on high plateaus surrounding Mount Kenya and to the west along the Rift Valley, at an altitude of between 1500-2100 metres. This climate produces two harvests per year, in March and then October. The fermentation time ranges from 24 to 48 hours. All coffee is graded by the Kenyan coffee board and then sold at fortnightly auctions. Use this sticker to reclose.
Review 9: Nespresso 'Leggero Lungo'
Source: Nespresso
Date: 2 May 2014
Country: East Africa/Central America/South America
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Nespresso machine - Lungo
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Red-brown
Nose of brew: Light, floral, spices.
Early flavours: Cinnamon
Finish: Medium, balanced finish with spices.
Tasting notes:
Date: 2 May 2014
Country: East Africa/Central America/South America
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Nespresso machine - Lungo
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Red-brown
Nose of brew: Light, floral, spices.
Early flavours: Cinnamon
Finish: Medium, balanced finish with spices.
Tasting notes:
Saturday 3 May 2014
Review 8: Nespresso 'Lungo Decaffeinato'
Source: Nespresso
Date: 1 May 2014
Country/Continent: South America
Beans: Arabica (with some Robusta)
Preparation: Nespresso machine
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Pale brown/orange (almost tan)
Nose of brew: Slight sweetness
Early flavours: Creamy and bold coffee flavours with a developing sharpness
Finish: Slightly acid/bitter with a longish finish
Tasting notes:
This represents my first foray into decaffeinated coffee. I have to admit, that for an avid coffee drinker I don't 'do' caffeine much into the afternoon, and no matter how much coffee I have had over my life, I haven't developed an 'immunity' to caffeine which means I can take it at any time of the day.
The main thing I think about when drinking a decaffeinated coffee is how obvious the fact that it's decaffeinated is, and I must say that this coffee does really well on that count. Generally I find that the difference is in the finish - there can be a fair amount of deep and complex flavours in a decaffeinated coffee, but when all is said and done it feels a little less satisfying when you put the cup down - which doesn't necessarily take that much away.
In this case the coffee has a bold and sharp start to it - it really hits the sides of the mouth and the back of the throat and it feels like a heavy, creamy coffee. There are some hints of caramel but on the whole it is dominated by what feel like strong coffee flavours.
The finish is what gives it away; there is a sharpness that grows and comes to dominate the finish, so it feels quite tart in the end, and this is the flavour that lingers. It's a familiar flavour that I feel like I notice in lots of decaffeinated coffees; I'm not sure why.
Overall, it's a good decaffeinated coffee which I felt does the term 'decaffeinated' justice. In fact, if I was served this in the evening, I might hesitate to be certain that it was decaffeinated - which is a good thing.
Coffee maker's notes:
Velvety and Aromatic. A blend of decaffeinated South American Arabicas and Robusta, this coffee reveals flavours of red fruit balanced with sweet cereal notes.
Date: 1 May 2014
Country/Continent: South America
Beans: Arabica (with some Robusta)
Preparation: Nespresso machine
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Pale brown/orange (almost tan)
Nose of brew: Slight sweetness
Early flavours: Creamy and bold coffee flavours with a developing sharpness
Finish: Slightly acid/bitter with a longish finish
Tasting notes:
This represents my first foray into decaffeinated coffee. I have to admit, that for an avid coffee drinker I don't 'do' caffeine much into the afternoon, and no matter how much coffee I have had over my life, I haven't developed an 'immunity' to caffeine which means I can take it at any time of the day.
The main thing I think about when drinking a decaffeinated coffee is how obvious the fact that it's decaffeinated is, and I must say that this coffee does really well on that count. Generally I find that the difference is in the finish - there can be a fair amount of deep and complex flavours in a decaffeinated coffee, but when all is said and done it feels a little less satisfying when you put the cup down - which doesn't necessarily take that much away.
In this case the coffee has a bold and sharp start to it - it really hits the sides of the mouth and the back of the throat and it feels like a heavy, creamy coffee. There are some hints of caramel but on the whole it is dominated by what feel like strong coffee flavours.
The finish is what gives it away; there is a sharpness that grows and comes to dominate the finish, so it feels quite tart in the end, and this is the flavour that lingers. It's a familiar flavour that I feel like I notice in lots of decaffeinated coffees; I'm not sure why.
Overall, it's a good decaffeinated coffee which I felt does the term 'decaffeinated' justice. In fact, if I was served this in the evening, I might hesitate to be certain that it was decaffeinated - which is a good thing.
Coffee maker's notes:
Velvety and Aromatic. A blend of decaffeinated South American Arabicas and Robusta, this coffee reveals flavours of red fruit balanced with sweet cereal notes.
Thursday 1 May 2014
Review 7: Nespresso 'Lungo Forte'
Source: Nespresso
Date: 29 April 2014
Country: South America
Beans: Not stated
Preparation: Nespresso machine (Lungo)
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Rich, Dark brown, with orangey tint
Nose of brew: A hint of vegetable aromas
Early flavours: Light, creamy
Finish: Long, smooth, fairly bitter finish
Tasting notes:
Date: 29 April 2014
Country: South America
Beans: Not stated
Preparation: Nespresso machine (Lungo)
Nose of grounds: N/A
Colour of brew: Rich, Dark brown, with orangey tint
Nose of brew: A hint of vegetable aromas
Early flavours: Light, creamy
Finish: Long, smooth, fairly bitter finish
Tasting notes:
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