Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (95): "This coffee scored well in every category. I especially liked the floral acidity - a nice vanilla and chocolate aspect to the flavor complemented the smooth - very smooth - mouthfeel." Ken's praise (94) was nearly identical, though he added "spicy fruit" and a hint of lemon to his descriptors. Impressive flavor persistence in a long, rich finish.
Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (92) admired the "spicy, floral qualities" of this coffee, as did Ken (94), who found blackberry and spicy rose in both aroma and cup. A medium-bodied coffee, but both Jim and Ken remarked on the impressively smooth mouthfeel. Ken showed perhaps a bit more admiration for delicate poise of this coffee, which may account for his higher score.
Both co-cupper Jim Reynolds (94) and Ken (91) particularly admired the "active acidity" (Jim) of this coffee with its rich berry and floral influences. Jim found the flavor "complex but balanced." Ken was more specific: "dark chocolate, cherryish fruit, a hint of dusk flowers." Both approved of mouthfeel ("lightly syrupy," Ken) and finish ("light, bright and very pleasant," Jim).
Co-cupper Jim Reynolds and Ken both admired this coffee, but Ken, at 90, was less admiring than Jim at 95. Essentially, Jim found everything he wanted in an African coffee of this style - a combination of complexity, balance and deep dimension - whereas Ken liked what he found but wanted more of it, more intensity and a more pronounced, distinctive character. Both admired a bright, citrusy but delicate acidity, silky mouthfeel, and a mildly pungent chocolate that Jim described as "smoky chocolate" and Ken as "cocoa and aromatic wood." Jim found the aftertaste "lingering," Ken found it pleasing but short.
Ken (92) particularly admired this coffee's deep, night-blossoming floral character which he felt was balanced by an underlying crisp, cedary cocoa. Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (91) found the profile "mild" and caramelly with a soft ? for Jim, a bit too soft ? acidity.
Ken (93) favored this coffee considerably more than did co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) despite the fact that both described it in similar terms. Ken was taken by floral qualities in aroma and cup, an essential sweetness, and what he called a complimentary "cocoaish dry fruit," doubtless the same sensation as Jim describes positively as "pungent" and "spicy and nutty." Both agreed that the acidity was gentle, though Ken scored it higher and described it as "crisp and sweet." Both found the mouthfeel attractively smooth and the finish long and flavor-saturated.
Both co-cupper Jim Reynolds (90) and Ken (91) described a very sweet-toned aroma and pleasingly delicate acidity, which Ken glossed as "wine-toned." Lightly syrupy mouthfeel, clean and balanced in flavor, "nutty" for Jim, tartly fruity and floral for Ken. Very sweet-finishing.
Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (91) praised a "spicy pungency" in the aroma and a smooth, balanced acidity. Ken (89) agreed. Both found the pungent character carrying into the cup, complicated for Ken by hints of flowers and cocoa. Simple but satisfying finish. Jim found the body "balanced in the light to medium range" but Ken found the mouthfeel a bit lean, accounting for his somewhat lower score.
For co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) a smooth and essentially complete cup but too subdued, with "unassertive acidity." Ken (90) found the cup quiet as well, but enjoyed floral, apricot, chocolate, possibly butter notes in aroma and cup, with an acidity that was richly red-wine-like.
Rich, low-toned, deceptively simple coffee. Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89) found it a quietly complete cup, though "somewhat shy" in acidity. Both Jim and Ken (90) wrestled with a very slight hint of what cuppers call "bagginess," a faint mildewed note that appears in coffees that have suffered exposure to too much moisture during shipment or storage. The coffee's essential richness and floral cocoa tendencies overcame this shadow note, however, allowing the underlying beauty of the coffee to resonate in cup and long, flavor-saturated finish.
Balanced, pungent character - "smoky and nutty" for co-cupper Jim Reynolds (89), "prune, nut, aromatic wood" for Ken (90) with rich floral hints. Smooth mouthfeel, round, rich finish.
Co-cupper Jim Reynolds (88): "This coffee had a complex, well-balanced aroma that reminded me of a vanilla flower, although I?ve never smelled a vanilla flower. I wish more of this had carried over into the cup, because the flavor was not as complex [nor] as interesting." Ken (92), on the other hand, found the floral and prune-toned fruit character of the aroma carried well into the cup, joined by cocoa and a slight, not unpleasant, salt or savory note. Ken and Jim agreed, however, in praising the richly resonant finish.