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Africa & Arabia
ETHIOPIA
WASHED YIRGACHEFFE:
Yirgacheffe is considered to be the most celebrated of Ethiopian
wet-processed coffees. We have obtained a wonderful
Yirgacheffe from our broker/importer, Royal Coffee. This
coffee was added to Kenneth Davids' Coffee Review's "Highest Rated"
list - reserved for coffees that are "complex, balanced, and
distinctive." Kenneth David's cupping board described this
Yirgacheffe as "powered by flowers and spice in the aroma that
carried into the cup with charm, depth and
vivacity."
KENYA: Kenya
is bordered by Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, and
Tanzania. It is east of Lake Victoria. The
people of Kenya are of great cultural diversity and of
spirit. This spirit transcends the land. Kenya's
economy rests on tourism and the production of valued agricultural
crops, such as coffee and tea. Traditionally, Kenya has been
highly regarded for its outstanding coffee, which was further
popularized by the plantations in Karen Blixen's book Out of
Africa. The coffee growers in Kenya are highly skilled and
educated in the art of coffee production. The best Kenyas
tend to come from farm-specific auction lots. Nyanja Estate lives
up to the Kenya tradition of outstanding quality. It has a lively
acidity, clean finish, moderate complexity and body, and mild
wineyness with citrusy overtones.
Americas
COSTA
RICA TARRAZU: As
Kenneth Davids writes: "Costa Rican is a classically
complete coffee; it has everything and lacks nothing." It is
very pleasurable to the palette. It has a medium body, is well
rounded and well balanced. It has a light to medium acidity. Tarrazu
is one of the four most famous coffee districts in Costa Rica. It is
grown at high altitudes and is a very hard bean. This coffee blends
well with others. It can handle a dark roast without losing its
character and is a favorite in traditional French and Italian roast
blends.
GUATEMALA
HUEHUETENANGO:
Huehuetenango is northwest of Guatemala City. Although not as well
known as the Antigua region, Huehuetenango produces high quality and
flavorful coffee. Our Huehue has a nice, pleasant floral nose,
lively vibrancy and is well balanced. It also has a medium body and
moderate complexity.
MEXICO
PLUMA ALTURA TRES OROS:
Oaxaca is one of my favorite spots to travel. It is a beautiful
region in Mexico, with a rich heritage of Zapotec, Mixtec, and other
native cultures. Its elevation is around 5000 feet and is well known
in Mexico for producing premium quality hard bean Arabica coffee.
Pluma Altura is one of the most renowned classifications of
coffee in Mexico. It has rich, inviting nose. The body is light to
medium, the acidity is lively, and the complexity is moderate.
It also has a mild nuttiness similar to that of our
Panamanian.
Far
East, Indonesia and Pacific
PAPAU
NEW GUINEA:
Papua New Guinea is just north of Australia and west of the Solomon
Islands in the South Pacific. Over the past two years, New
Guinea's coffee crops have turned out well. I love this coffee. It
is very similar to the Gumanch, of which we just sold out, although
it has more of a wine character to it - like a fine Petite
Syrah. It is well balanced, clean, lively, rich and very
enjoyable. Acidity is mild to
moderate.
SUMATRA
MANDHELING (GRADE 1):
Sumatra is a large island in Indonesia northwest of Java. Mandheling
is grown in the mountains close to the city of Padang, on the west
side of the island. Sumatra Mandheling is a classic. In the cup it
is rich, full bodied, well-balanced and low to moderate in acid. It
is a favorite among many who like their coffee dark roasted. It is
similar to Sulawesi, but a little livelier. Dry processing adds to
the complexity in flavor.
TIMOR
ORGANIC MAUBESSE:
Timor is an island between Sulawesi and Australia. Recently, East
Timor has been fighting for its independence from Indonesia, which
invaded in 1975, a year after the Portuguese abandoned the island.
In its struggle for independence, it has been striving for economic
viability. The production of coffee has aided in this quest. Luckily
for the island, and for us, coffee from Timor has improved
tremendously and is now very high in quality. Maubesse is certified
organic. It is similar to Sulawesi and Sumatra, but a little
earthier. In the cup, Timor is medium to full-bodied, rich, moderate
complexity, and nutty. It is low to medium in acid, well rounded,
and with a clean finish. It also has a very pleasant aroma. This is
a cup truly worth trying and enjoying. A good site to learn more
about East Timor - (www.easttimor.com).
Blends
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