Over time and to my long favorite Columbian coffee, I first added Ethiopian so that I could create a blend: Columbians to FC or FC+, with Ethiopian to City and City+.
I recently got a mailed from Maria's that I found extremely intriguing:
Pretty hard to ignore, so this time I ordered 6 pounds, 2 lb each of:Rwanda Tumba Cocatu:
"This lot from Cocatu is competition level coffee and definitely one of the best we tasted this year. The dry fragrance has the smell of caramel apple candy and toffee malt. It's very sweet, I'll say 'saturated' sweet, and with a floral note underneath it all that is delicate. This floral aspect becomes more vivid when adding hot water, taking on characteristics of honeysuckle. Like the fresh ground coffee, the wet grounds are super sweet with notes of hot apple cider, pie spices, and fresh whipping cream, and the break is loaded with the smell of caramel. The aromatics are closely tied to the cup profile, which as it turns out, is nothing short of spectacular! The body is thick, which conveys flavors of raw cane juice and pulpy citrus very well. Cocatu has a bit of 'heft', yet is a balanced cup when we compare it to other Rwandas.
Citrus flavors like Naval orange and pink grapefruit juice come out in the cooling cup. Light roasts are especially juicy, with a blend of dark berries making a distinct impression. The acidity has definition and is grape-like (tartaric) but with a pomegranate tartness to it. Full City roasts remain oh so sweet and juicy, with a bit of chocolate roast tones in the background. With all this, it's safe to say that new crop Cocatu is a real 'highlight' coffee all the way, and we highly recommend trying Full City-and-beyond roasts as single-origin espresso."
Rwanda Tumba Cocatu: $6.50/lb (description above)
Colombia Familia Guerra - La Gallineta: $6.50
"This coffee has a structured sweetness in the cup that is alluded to throughout the aromatic profile. There's a smell of butter cookies in the ground coffee, with a culmination of butter and unrefined sugar. This sweetness is found in both light and darker roasts, along with dried fruits like apple and plum. The wet aroma also has a sort of cookie smell to it, most like butterscotch brownie. Breaking the crust reveals notes of dried stone fruits, and maple candy. This coffee is truly candy sweet, and the cup boasts heaping doses of buttery caramel and honey.
Light roasts have a refreshing flavor of apple juice, golden plum replete with the tart skin, and also vibrant, malic acidity. Flavors of cocoa also come about and are especially present in the already sweet finish. Even at Full City, this coffee's sweetness is like fruit nectar - thick and syrupy, and with caramel sugar and malt chocolate. This is a full bodied cup of coffee, and at Full City and beyond, this makes a fantastic SO espresso - viscous, chocolatey, and with a apple juice-like brightess. "
Ethiopia Anfilo -Shebele Fana Cooperative: $5.95
What I found interesting was the notably lower prices on all three, particularly the Ethiopian. Can't wait..."This lot from the Shebele Fana washing station reminds us of the early Illubabor coffees we used to buy - a solid, crowd- pleaser, a drinking coffee. It has a solid sweetness and is heavy with notes of complex sugars. Grinding the coffee brings out a smell of caramel and raw honey. Light roasts have a citrus accent that alludes to the coming cup profile as well as a slight note of hot chocolate mix. Adding hot water adds an element of baked goods to the aromatic profile. I get a sense of rhubarb pie, or apple crisp, with a dark brown sugar smell and cinnamon and all-spice notes.
Darker roasts definitely capitalize on chocolate roast tones and are sweet - more in line with milk chocolate. There's a delicate scent of wild flowers on the break as well. The cup shows developed sugars and red fruits at light and dark roasts. Lighter roasts are slightly more nuanced, with floral accents and citrus notes (pomelo, soft acidity), as well as a bit of red berry. Light and dark roasts show flavors of stone fruit flesh as well as the bittering skins and with a cocoa and citrus finish - like candied citrus with a dusting of fine Dutch drinking cocoa."