Review by Kenneth Davids, coffeereview.com, March 2012:
Notes: The Cup of Excellence is the most esteemed competition for green coffees from a given country of origin. This coffee was the sixth-place prize winner from the 2012 Rwanda competition chosen by a select group of international cuppers. Produced from trees of the heirloom Bourbon variety of Arabica.
 
Blind assessment: Intense, zesty but sweet. Grapefruit, peach, rose-like flowers, baker’s chocolate in aroma and cup. Richly crisp acidity; silky mouthfeel. The floral note in particular carries into a long, dry, flavor-saturated finish.
 
Who should drink it: Those who enjoy dry, floral-toned white wines and the pungent dry-berry elegance of fine Kenya coffees.
 
Aroma: 8
Acidity: 9
Body: 8
Flavor: 9
Aftertaste: 8
Roast (Agtron): (52/62)
OVERALL RATING: 92

Maple Sugar, Cedar, Red Plum.
 
Catuai & Bourbon. Grown at 1370 masl. Pulped natural. Shipped in GrainPro.

This coffee opens with amazing aromatics similar to strawberry jam and honeysuckle flower. In the cup we taste Assam tea, strawberry, cane sugar and rhubarb.
 
Mundo Nuevo. Grown at 1800 masl. Fully washed.
 
We met Gustavo Alfaro for the first time last year. His family has lived and farmed in Huehuetenango for four generations – they were the second family to settle in the region. This year, Gustavo took over
management of the farm. He has long-term focused goals and understands the necessity of good management and good treatment of his employees. It also happens that his coffee tastes great!
 
You can order this coffee online here.

Peach Nectar, Apricot, Dried Currant, Vanilla
 
In the department of Santa Barbara near the town of Peña Blanca, Cesar Fernandez grows coffee along side his four brothers. On his 4 hectare farm, land that was given to him by his father, Cesar and his brothers support each other in the production of great quality coffee. Motivated and driven by each other, this year together they installed a shared, tile lined, fermentation tank. His coffee and that of his bothers, consistently rank highly in the Cup of Excellence program. They continuously reinvest the money they earn in the auction to improve their farms and processing. Cesar knows quality is found in harvesting only ripe cherries. Depulping and fermentation take place on the brother’s shared equipment only a short distance from Las Flores. The close proximity of the wet mill ensures that all coffee harvested is depluped and ready for fermentation the same day. The amount of time allotted for fermentation varies based on the weather conditions of the day. Working together and listening to the advice of the Paz family, sons and relatives of the owner of Beneficio San Vicente the exporters of Las Flores, Cesar is able to produce a consistently high quality, beautiful coffee.
 
Pacas and Bourbon. Grown at 1500-1600 masl. Washed. Shipped in GrainPro.
 
See images of the farm and order this coffee online here.

Multiple producers – small holders El Indio and Rio Negro. Swiss Water Processed.
 
Milk chocolate, caramel, kumquat.

Our signature house blend that develops and changes seasonally.
 
Current components are:
Cafundo, Brazil
Desarrollo, Colombia
Meridiano, Colombia
 
Cherry Blossom, Marzipan, Tangerine.
 
History of the Heartbreaker:  Cheryl once described a macchiato as a “heartbreaker”…as in it was so delicious, it melted or broke her heart. When we had our espresso-naming contest, Liam remembered this and shouted out “heartbreaker.” He won a Chemex, and we won the name.

Organic lemon thyme, organic sage leaf, organic peppermint, organic lemon verbena and natural essential oil of bergamot.

Organic Green Loose Leaf Tea, Organic Jasmine, Organic Blueberries and Natural Blueberry Flavor.

Blend of Organic Chamomile, Rosehips, Lavender, Roses, and Pink Peppercorn. Caffeine-free.

Spearmint & peppermint. Caffeine-free.

Organic black tea blended with organic oil of bergamot.

Caffeine-free.

Blend of organic white peony, osmanthus blossoms and peach essence.

Sencha with toasted rice kernels.

Organic black tea with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves & spices.