Review 15: Sertao natural, Brazil

Source: José Isidro Pereira, Carmo de Minas
Date: 18th May 2016
Country: Brazil
Beans: Arabica (Yellow Bourbon)
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Nutty and smooth
Colour of brew: Orange/yellow brown
Nose of brew: Very light, chocolatey, a bit sweet
Early flavours: Chocolate, a bit of caramel
Finish: Very light and unobtrusive

Tasting notes: A colleague in the office opened up a bag of coffee and I couldn't resist. He was making a cafetiere and although it was after lunch and against my rules (to ensure I got to sleep okay), I asked for a small amount to taste.

It is a really drinkable coffee. It has very delicate flavours, although it fills the mouth in a very satisfying way without being watery or thin. The taste is like a lighter chocolate dessert of some sort - thinking more like a mousse than a brownie. There are some robust hints there, with only a slight bitterness. Overall, a really excellent coffee probably helped a lot by the fact that it is very fresh.

Coffee maker's notes:

Review 14: Kaweh Ijen, Indonesia

Source: Waitrose
Date: 24 December 2015
Country: Indonesia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: roast meat
Colour of brew: very dark amber
Nose of brew: earthy, herbs
Early flavours: dark chocolate
Finish: spices

Review 13: Percol Columbia

Source: Percol packet grounds (supermarket)
Date: 09/06/2015
Country: Colombia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Bright and light
Colour of brew: Deep, dark brown
Nose of brew: rich but not strong aromas
Early flavours: Slightly chocolatey, slightly nutty
Finish: Rounded with a little bitterness

Tasting notes:
When I first started getting into coffee while I was at university, my brew of choice was Percol Colombia Arabica. It was the standard for me - not too expensive, but really flavoursome. It didn't have anything weird going for it either - it was solid. So I probably bought more of that than anything else at the time. It was also Fair Trade - which was important to me.

So when it was a colleague's turn to bring the coffee in, and he brought the most recent iteration of Percol's coffee, I thought it was high time for a review of this coffee.

My feeling overall is that it's basically an easy-drinker without a great deal of character. There are two main notes - one slightly chocolatey, and the bitterness at the end. But neither is particularly strong, and the overwhelming flavour is pretty bland without being watery. To be honest, I could drink this all day if I wasn't thinking about having a particularly tasty cup of coffee.

There's not much else to write! Good but nothing special, I'm afraid.

Coffee maker's notes:
Our Fairtrade Colombia coffee contrasts a full and rich flavour with a satisfyingly smooth taste. Freshly ground from 100% Arabica coffee beans, this Fairtrade coffee is well balanced with a slightly nutty aftertaste.