Ken (93) and co-cupper Jennifer Stone (92) both remarked on the bright, richly floral character of the aroma. In the cup quietly vibrant acidity, smooth mouthfeel, continued gentle richness, with a flavor complex that combines lush night flowers with a sweet pungency pointing at cedar, caramel and deep-toned, carnal fruit: apricot, mango. Long, deep finish.
Sweet-toned, foresty aroma; co-cupper Jennifer Stone (90) found flowering grass and herb; Ken (91) freshly cut wood and night flowers. In the cup gently bright acidity, full body with lightly syrupy mouthfeel, and continued garden-toned aromatics: flowers (both Ken and Jennifer), nut (Ken), citrus (Jennifer). Sweetness envelopes a slight astringency in the "resonant" (Jennifer) finish.
Quiet, balanced profile that holds up with particular grace as the cup cools. Co-cupper Jennifer Stone (90) remarks on the clean simplicity of the profile with perhaps a coffee romantic's regret at a lack of aromatic intrigue; nevertheless, both Ken (91) and Jennifer found subtleties in the aromatics and flavor, with Ken reading sweet, subdued citrus and cocoa, Jennifer spicy stone fruit, and both remarking on the distinct floral notes. Softly assertive acidity, medium body, sweet finish.
Co-cupper Jennifer Stone (88) remarked on this coffee?s winy acidity and pungent flavor and aromatics; Ken (89) glossed pungent with references to spicy aromatic wood and backgrounded dark chocolate. The finish stays on the rich side of astringent.
Crisp, straightforward coffee; co-cupper Jennifer Stone (89) was impressed by its full mouthfeel and rather deep dimension, Ken (88) by its general balance and poise. The pleasant but muted aromatics were difficult to sort out with any precision; Jennifer tended toward caramel and chocolate; Ken was more into nut. Lest that sounds too much like sundae toppings, these were crisp, bitter-sweet, coffee-contexted nuances.
Both co-cupper Jennifer Stone (88) and Ken (90) remark on a distinct natural sweetness running from aroma through a gentle acidity to a long, resonant finish. Ken found more to remark on in regard to aromatic and flavor notes: nut and a hint of milk chocolate in the aroma, a more explicit chocolate in the cup, together with a hint of cherryish fruit. Delicate, rather lean mouthfeel.
A sensitive but very dark roast dominates the profile. Co-cupper Jennifer Stone (88) describes the aroma as "deep" and "complex"; Ken (88) finds dark chocolate and charred aromatic wood as well as floral top notes in the nose. In the cup the body is medium, the mouthfeel "thin" (Jennifer) to "lean" (Ken) but the general character of the cup is richly and crisply roasty, with continued dark chocolate, charred wood and distinct floral notes, all of which carry with impressive persistence and clarity into the mildly astringent finish.
The difference between co-cupper Jennifer Stone?s score of 84 and Ken's 89 depended on how they responded to a shadow fault in an otherwise impressive, complex coffee. The fault emerged as the coffee cooled; Jennifer simply called it an "off" note; Ken described it as vaguely metallic though very faint. Slight fault aside, this is a classic South Pacific profile, gently pungent with aromatic wood and nut notes softened by hints of bananaish fruit and night flowers.