Tasting Notes

After roasting three new coffees yesterday, I cupped them this morning with some very interesting results. Unfortunately, I am not sure I have found any good ingredients for my espresso blend, though a some good single origin (SO) filter brews will definitely come from these outstanding coffees.




Yemen Mokha Haimi (Full city +) - Like its sister coffee Yemen Mokha San'ani (Mokha is the port city in Yemen where the coffee is traded), this coffee is big and bold with layers of complexity in every sip. However, in distinction to the San'ani, the Haimi does not feature deep chocolate or berry flavors. The Haimi is, well, leathery. I know it sounds strange (it sounded strange to me when I first saw the description) but you would understand from the first whiff of its aroma. Other flavors include tobacco, tar, sage, cardamom, and other herbs. A mild acidity provides a citrus flavor in the middle. The finish is again very leathery. This is not a coffee for the weak - it is a challenge to the most ardent coffee aficionado. Pulling a shot of espresso with this coffee did not yield a satisfactory espresso ingredient. The strong leathery and herbal notes are quite overpowering.


Rwanda FT Duhingekawa Womens Cooperative (City +) - Apricot, Apricot, Apricot! This flavorful coffee was full of fruity notes with a bit of lemony tanginess in the middle. However, at this light of a roast, it was a bit sour. I will roast a batch at FC and maybe even at FC+ to try to get something that is not quite so sour. This coffee would be great over ice - like a coffee equivalent of iced tea.






Brazil Screen-Dried Moreninha Formosa (Full City + and Vienna) - This is one of the most unique coffees that I cupped. At FC+, a rustic mustiness, which was not unpleasant, predominated the initial taste. It could almost be called woodsy. Really, I could not find the right words to describe its unique flavor. The middle is a fruity citrus flavor with nuttiness on the finish. This coffee did make a good SO espresso and could make a good base for a blend, though I am unsure how it will stack up against the Sumatra.



At Vienna, the roasty flavors overpowered the natural flavors of the coffee, and I felt like I was drinking Starbucks coffee =(

So, I now to roast a few more batches and begin blending.