Review 4: Sumatra

Source: Whittard's Coffees of the World
Date: 15 March 2014
Country: Indonesia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Rich, very background hints of spice, cocoa.
Nose of brew: quite a bit of wood/pine, slight burnt notes
Colour of brew: Dark, rich, almost purple at the edges
Early flavours: Earthy, complex but subtle
Finish: Long-ish finish, more earth and wood.

Tasting notes:
The tasting notes make this coffee sound rather grand and exotic, though I must say that I'm really not sure I 'got' all of the suggested flavours of fruits present in the coffee maker's description. However, the coffee has a nice rich and certainly heavy flavour,  but not too all-encompassing. Sometimes very heavy coffees leave the tongue feeling like it's coated with oil, but not this; it has a slightly more delicate finish. There is certainly an element of sweetness to the coffee while not being sickeningly so.

I think this is a great morning coffee, though there are some reviews out there which would suggest it is also great after dinner.

Coffee Maker's Notes:
"From the Indonesian island of Sumatra, this full-bodied coffee has an exotic nearly floral taste. The beans are grown on small plots on the shores of Lake Aceh before being picked and semi-dried in the sun. Our Sumatra is dark roasted for a heavy smooth fragrant taste. It is subtle and sweet, reminiscent of figs and apricots and has a complex earthy aroma. An exceptional coffee; serve black to appreciate the nuances of the beans."

Review 2: Mocha Djimmah

Source: Whittard's Coffees of the World
Date: 1 February 2014
Country: Ethiopia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Earthy, slightly sweet, quite light and airy
Nose of brew: citrus, spice
Colour of brew: deep brown, but not opaque.
Early flavours: spices
Finish: earthy and light

Tasting notes:

The Mocha Djimmah is another coffee from Ethiopia, like the Yirgacheffe about a month ago (this wasn't intentional - in fact, it doesn't necessarily say which country it comes from). It is also the lowest strength rating in Whittard's Coffees of the World box; it has a rating of 2.

The spice flavours of this coffee are noticeable but not so prominent as to become unpleasant or lose the idea that you're tasting a coffee. In the past I have been given coffees from far-flung places such as Uganda which seem to lose the feeling of drinking coffee and become more like a cup of soup.

On the nose there is no single dominating note. And throughout the tasting, the different flavours rise slowly to the front of the taste and then fall back slowly again. The coffee is well balanced, though I can see that it is definitely worth its strength 2 rating; it is a light coffee that I could probably enjoy in the late afternoon.

Interestingly, when I started using wine tasting techniques I found more flavours - a touch of saltiness and a little more spice.

Coffee maker's notes:

This soft, fruity coffee comes from the southwest of Ethiopia, the birthplace of 'Arabic' coffee. In taste this is as close as you will get to wild coffee. The plantations grow in the shade of the dense forests until they are ready to be picked. The young coffee 'cherries' are then laid out to dry in the scorching sun. This process helps develop the beans' rich flavour and winey, spicy aftertaste.

Review 1: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Details

Source: Whittard’s Coffees of the World

Date: 4 January 2014

Country: Ethiopia

Beans: Arabica

Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Citrus, light, complex

Nose of brew: floral, light

Colour of brew: fairly light; definite brown

Early flavours: Earl Grey, light,

Finish: a bit of earth, but very light and balanced;

Tasting notes:

Being the first coffee I have thought about in depth with regards to its flavours, I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for or what I should be thinking about. However, I’ve done a lot of tasting of wine and whisky, so I’m approaching it in the same way.

It’s a coffee that holds its depth while being light - it doesn’t have a bitter or very rich taste. However, it is not watery either, as some ‘light’ coffees can be, with very little taste. There is a definite reminder of tea there, especially as the flavours first hit the tongue; to be certain, I inhaled from the tin of Earl Grey. The fragrance isn’t quite as strong as the bergamot of Earl Grey, but it’s along the same lines. The middle and end of the tasting delivers a little more weight to it without overpowering you in any way. There is no bitter, burnt end to it either.

It’s not the jet fuel that I might want on a work morning, but it would be great for a weekend or perhaps in the afternoon. The flavours are so delicate that I wouldn’t eat with it either.

Coffee maker’s notes:

"One of the most unique tasting coffees in the world, Yirgacheffe comes from the lush rolling hills of south-western Ethiopia. These beans are famed for their clean floral flavour typical of this stunning region. This is accentuated by a process of soaking and slight fermentation that coaxes from the beans complex zesty notes and a refinement strangely reminiscent of tea. An exceptional coffee; serve black to appreciate the nuances of the beans.”

The joy of doing something with more depth

This Christmas (2013), I was given a set of coffees from Whittard of Chelsea: their "Coffees of the World" collection. I'm a big coffee drinker but mostly for the caffeine, on a day-to-day basis.

Anyway, I decided that rather than just charge through it without thinking, I would want to compare the different coffees to each other and get an idea of the types and flavours that come out with each different brew.

From there, it led to simply creating a Google Doc with a few notes. Having started that, I thought that sharing it on Google+ would work - then decided to go the whole hog and set up this series of posts. So we'll see where it leads!