Tasting Notes: January 2023 Coffees

 Tasting Notes: January 2023 Coffees

Kiss The Hippo Round Hill Yallah and Dear Green Tasting Notes

Kiss The Hippo is a speciality coffee brand devoted to creating the ultimate coffee experience, based in London. Accomplishing this through a considered approach to coffee making that places a strong appreciation for quality and sustainability at the forefront, Kiss The Hippo are also London's first carbon negative roasters.

With the aim of offering the most refined freshly roasted coffees, served in beautiful spaces as part of a thoroughly memorable service experience, Kiss The Hippo are absolutely worth the recommendation.

Kiss The Hippo Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Tino, Honduras Another delicious lot from our direct trade partner, Nancy Hernandez. Expect a bright, citrus-driven flavour profile with a sweet, sugary finish – a shining example of the notoriously difficult Honey processing method.

Honey sits somewhere between Washed and Natural coffees. The pulp (skin) and fruit are removed from the coffee cherry, leaving a thin layer of sticky mucilage. In a Washed coffee, this mucilage would be cleaned off completely before drying – but in Honey processing, some of it is left on. This gives the coffee a distinctively sweet character.

The Catuai cultivar is a cross between Mundo Novo and Yellow Caturra. It originated in Brazil as far back as the 1940s, and eventually made its way to Central America via Guatemala in the 1970s. Catuai is known for being a very sweet and balanced coffee.
Lemon, red currant and molasses

Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: honey
Plus 87, Single / Light
Aquiares, Costa Rica One of our most strongly-held beliefs is that the future of coffee is carbon free and in balance with the planet. With that in mind, we are pleased that this coffee is not only certified carbon neutral roasted, but that this lot from Alfonso Robelo’s farm, the Aquiares Estate, is certified by NAMACAFE as grown completely carbon neutral.

Alfonso arrived in Costa Rica in the 1980s after receiving several threats against his life during the upheaval of the Nicaraguan civil war. Once in Costa Rica, Alfonso began building the Aquiares community on the slopes of the Turrialba volcano, a lush area of forests, rivers, fauna, and bright flora.

The name Aquiares means 'land between rivers' in the Huetar indigenous language, and the Aquiares Estate is commonly referred to as 'Aquiares Coffee and Community.' It is the largest farm in Costa Rica, home to 1,800 people – and although the farm was founded back in 1890, Alfonso Robelo is the man responsible for its transformation a century later.
Caramel, sweet chocolate and blueberry

Altitude: 1200 masl, Process: red honey
Plus 87, Selected Mix
Jazmin, Honduras Back in March of 2020, we met Nancy not on her farm but in the café-roastery she built in the town she calls home in La Paz. At the time we were blown away by not only her delicious coffee, but the place she’d built to enjoy it. It became a cherished memory once the world shut down, one last coffee with a producer we admired before everything changed. We are so excited to finally share that coffee after all of this – it takes us back to a time that feels so long ago. This lot is a washed coffee.

The Jazmin farm was built in 2008 by Nancy. It was always her dream to follow in the footsteps of her parents and grandparents to have a farm. She spent years learning about processing and cultivation on her parents farm until her uncle offered her the opportunity to transform what was some disused land into a coffee farm. That was how Jazmin was born.
Cherry, almond and herbal

Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87
El Durazno, Guatemala The El Durazno farm is very young, with their first production harvest taking place in 2018. Located in Nuevo Oriente, the hand-picked and sorted coffee cherries from the farm are loaded onto trucks and taken to Finca Rabanales (our other Guatemalan coffee this year) for processing.

Coffee from Nuevo Oriente is mostly produced in the mountainous areas, in response to an increasing global demand for specialty coffee. This has led to regeneration and international recognition for this, one of Guatemala’s most isolated areas. This rainy and cloudy region has soil components that are quite interesting for volcanic terrain. The soil contains metamorphic rock rich in minerals and nutrients, creating ideal conditions for high quality coffee.

Honey processing is a method in which the fresh coffee cherries are de-pulped, but allowed to dry without washing. Some of the fruit is still there, but not nearly as much as in the natural process. Most of the cherry is gone, but the remaining golden, sticky mucilage is reminiscent of honey, which is where the process gets its name.

One benefit of this for producers is that honey processing uses less water. Allowing the fruit to dry on the bean means that it can be physically removed during milling, rather than being washed off as is typical of washed coffees.
Chocolate, brown sugar and peach

Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: white honey
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Monte Bonito, Colombia Monte Bonito was decaffeinated using the Carbonated Water method. Just like other decaffeination processes such as the Swiss Water or CO2 method, the unroasted coffee is submerged in warm water, where it expands. The water is then carbonated, allowing it to attach to the caffeine molecules so it can be removed before the coffee is dried. After processing, the coffee becomes rounder in flavour, softer in acidity, and creamier.

We like this method because it is zero waste. The caffeine is used for carbonated drinks, the water is filtered the remains are used as part of cow feed and the water is used in future batches.

This lot is like so many great Colombian coffees, composed of coffee grown on small family farms that are usually only a couple of hectares big. Although made up of coffee from different producers, the farms share many of the same growing conditions, from soil to cultivars to climate and plant care. This means that the coffees have an incredibly similar taste experience, giving them an incredibly clear flavour profile when blended together.
Dark chocolate, butterscotch and brazil nut

Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: carbonated water
Decaf
Angelical, Honduras Our first release this harvest from our good friend and direct trade partner, Nancy Hernandez. The Angelical is a Natural, and part of our processing series from Nancy – the full lineup being Washed, Honey, Natural and Anaerobic Natural. We find this lot to be very juicy and balanced with prominent berry notes. It tastes very clean for a Natural coffee, which is a testament to Nancy’s excellent processing skill.

Back in March of 2020, we met Nancy not on her farm but in the café-roastery she built in the town she calls home in La Paz. At the time we were blown away by not only her delicious coffee, but the place she’d built to enjoy it. It became a cherished memory once the world shut down, one last coffee with a producer we admired before everything changed. We are so excited to finally share that coffee after all of this – it takes us back to a time that feels so long ago.
Blackcurrant, raisin and biscuit

Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: natural
Plus 87

Yallah roast really tasty coffee from their barn in Cornwall and they love what they do - the products they sell and the work they do - promoting social, economic and environmental prosperity while minimising company impact.

So far, they think they're on the right track, providing financial traceability, buying specialty coffee direct and using 100% plastic-free packaging wherever possible. Plus, their roastery is powered by renewable energy (last year contributing net positive 13MWh of energy to the National Grid). These steps are genuine and actually make a difference to both people and planet. No greenwashing, just action.

Yallah Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Suke Quto, Ethiopia Tesfaye Bekele is one of the people who put Guji coffee on the map. He is a steward of the land and a fantastic producer so it’s no surprise these coffees are so good. We love them

Suke Quto is a semi-forest farm, where a combination of native and shade trees provide cover for the coffee plants. For fertilization, Tesfaye allows the natural mulch from fallen leaves and clippings from weeding around the coffee trees to add nutrients back to the soil - it is both Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified.

This is the naturally processed lot - you’ll find levels of complexity that are deep, sweet and super tasty. Brew carefully and let it cool a little before drinking if you want to see where the magic happens. It’s tropical upfront before the fruit becomes jammy and full-bodied - that’s what we’re looking for - that’s the good stuff.
Stone fruits, bubblegum and jammy

Process: natural
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light, Selected Mix
Las Brisas, Colombia This is fast becoming our favourite time of year - the boat has docked and the bags pile high. De Gallant and her crew have travelled thousands of miles by sail across the Atlantic, with a carbon footprint close to zero. We welcome back this wonderful coffee from the producers of Las Brisas.

Rioblanco is a municipality tucked away in the mountains of the south of the department of Tolima in Colombia. It is in the skirt of the central mountain range of Colombia and 47% of its area belongs to the National Natural Park of Las Hermosas. Many of the producers from the municipality of Rioblanco who deliver coffee to Las Brisas come from farming families and whose farms have been passed through generations.

This community lot opens the specialty market (and prices) up to producers too small to produce single farm lots. We’re happy to say this year the price paid to the farmer was almost 20% higher than the market rate - quite impressive while the coffee market is high.
Heavy, sweet, cocoa, sugar, orange and peach

Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World
African Moon, Uganda This is a profound coffee that’s rich in flavour and body; our very first from Uganda. Perfect for a heart warming brew or a syrupy espresso. This will hit the spot on those early crisp mornings. It’s an easy brew - so don’t be shy - and utterly delicious how ever you like your coffee.

Since 2015, the farmers have been encouraged to sell their coffee at the cherry stage to the Agri Evolve Community Buying Centres. Before this, the farmers processed it themselves and sold it green. However, this meant walking for hours to their local town - risking the dilemma of taking an unfair price from a buyer, or facing the long journey back and hoping the price would improve.

Now, there are over 15 centres located across the region - where the coffee can be processed in a quality controlled environment and offer transparency to the farmers. This includes the guidance to coordinate their harvest for the best and fairest possible coffee prices.
Cocoa, toasted nuts, molasses and currants

Process: natural
Selected Mix, Single / Light
Ozolotepec, Mexico Savour every sip of this warming Mexican coffee with a smooth, buttery body and a melt-in-the- mouth sweetness of fudge. Drooling yet? Nothing sounds better to warm up those winter mornings. This coffee has gone through an extended fermentation process prior to the washing stage to enhance depth and flavour.

We’re always on the look out for the best coffees the world can offer. Mexico has been working hard to make it’s mark in the coffee sphere, working towards creating meaningful opportunities for farmers and communities.

The Ozolotepeques region has had some of the most impressive coffees in the last few years, so we are excited to welcome this wonderful coffee into our roastery. The quality has been high but the community of producers there was significantly impacted by Hurricane Agatha which tore through southern Oaxaca in late May ‘22. Supporting the producers in this region is now more important than ever. We are working with Osito who have amazingly raised $3K to support the farmers with the rebuilding process.
Creamy fudge, toffee apple and warming spices

Process: washed
Selected Mix
House Decaf, Colombia Long gone are the days of subpar decaf coffee. This one’s a sweet showstopper - so well rounded that you couldn’t tell that it’s 0.1% caffeine. Add milk of any variety, and you’ll enhance that deliciously creamy and malty taste even more. This coffee is decaffeinated using alcohol produced locally and derived from sugar cane - our favourite way of decaffeination. This leaves the coffee 99.9% caffeine free but sacrificing no taste or flavour. Magic.

When extracting caffeine, water is not used in the process other than steaming and moistening at the prepping stage. So barely any water waste - if not at all. We also love that the process is done in Colombia, in comparison to other factories that are either in Europe or Canada. This avoids multiple ocean freight routes, which means this coffee has a reduced impact on the environment.
Malted barley and cocoa

Process: EA sugarcane
Decaf
House, Nicaragua Blow the horns - it’s time for change! We booked this coffee back in February on our first sourcing trip for 3 years. It’s been a long time coming so we’re happy to say it’s worth the hype.

Our favourite sisters, Ana and Martha went above and beyond this year - hosting us on a wonderful trip to Nicaragua. We met new producers, saw new regions and found these wonderful community lots from the Neuva Segovia region. Specifically, we found 2 groups that were working towards a new ‘Denomination of Origin’. A certification that identifies products from a specific area with qualities or characteristics exclusive to the region.

It also guides producers on environmental issues and provides agronomic support for farmers no matter the size of their business - all at no cost to the producer. The idea is to promote better practice while increasing value and profit. For us, it’s another step towards sustainable development and we’re happy to back that. Plus the coffee is delicious - we hope you like it!
Milk chocolate and florentine biscuit

Process: washed
Blend / Darker, PERCENT

When Round Hill think of ‘origin’, Kelston Round Hill is to them synonymous. This lush grassy knoll just outside Bath with its clump of trees and views over Somerset is not just their namesake, but the backyard of where their roastery was founded. It’s their origin, and it was there that their journey started. That journey has taken Round Hill to distant origins with their own hills, on whose slopes derive some of the world’s greatest coffees produced by some of the world’s best farmers.

From Round Hill's approach to roasting to the colours of our packaging, they pay homage to the vivid character of their coffees. Bright and vibrant. Candy for grownups.

Round Hill Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Aquiares, Costa Rica We are always thrilled to have coffees from Aquiares Estate in Costa Rica as we have known Diego Robelo for several years now, first meeting him when he came to visit us at our Roastery. Our head Roaster Tim has also travelled with him in Colombia whilst visiting farms in Antioquia. This year we managed to visit Diego at his farm which he now manages after taking over from his father Alfonso.

Aquiares to us, is a perfect model for large scale coffee farming. Diego’s father evolved the farm into a community, with a 200 strong workforce and provided affordable homes. Diego has carried this on recently making the farm carbon neutral and regularly welcomes researchers to the farm to conduct agricultural and environmental studies.

The Red Honey process is when the coffee pulp is removed with the mucilage still intact on the outside of the bean. The mucilage changes colour as it dries and after a certain amount of time it turns a red colour, hence the name 'Red Honey'. It’s at this point the mucilage is removed by milling then left to dry on raised beds for 18-24 days. During the process, sugars from the drying mucilage are absorbed into the bean which gives the coffee its unique flavour profile.
Blackcurrant jam, apple and fizzy cola

Altitude: 1200 masl, Process: red honey
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Dhilgee, Ethiopia All of us at the roastery have been looking forward to sharing this lot with you. Dhilgee Nensebo Refisa’s name is a combination of the region in which the cherries grow, the mill in which they are processed and the descriptive word Dhilgee. This translates to “bloody red” from the Oromiffa language and is used to describe coffees that typically have red berries, purple fruit, light florals and are overall round and sweet.

This coffee is produced by a collective of 389 farmers from the Nensebo region of West Arsi. Each farmer typically owns 1 - 2 hectares of land which can have anywhere between 1800 and 2400 trees per hectare. Each tree has the potential to produce up to 3kgs of cherries, providing the growing conditions are stable. This past year has seen long rains affecting the area as the result of the changing climate.

Approximately 70% of Nensebo is made up of hills and mountains. West Arsi itself borders the Harenna Forest which is part of the Bale National Park, an area which has just started to see an increase in investment from producers. Micro-stations processing wild forest coffee have been appearing throughout the forest, predominantly in the most remote regions which aren’t accessible by car.
Tinned peaches, melon and green tea

Altitude: 1950 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87
Estrella Divina, Peru Estrella Divina is harvested by 27 smallholder farmers living in the village of ‘Rumipite’ in the San Ignazio region of northern Peru. This area has a very unique microclimate that is created when the warm air currents from the plains of Rumipite travel up the mountainside and mix with the cool fresh air that descends from the La Coipa mountains.

Farmers in this area typically have around 2 hectares of land growing various varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai and some Typica. You will often hear the phrase ‘mingas’ that translates to ‘today for you, tomorrow for me’ a community mindset which is helping farmers and families in this rural region. Each farm has a micro mill called ‘benficios’ where they process the coffee themselves using a small pulper and a wooden or concrete fermentation tank. Fermentation is normally 13-18 hours and drying takes between 12-20 days. Their equipment is often extremely simple and the coffees produced here have been of an extremely high standard. We are particularly excited that all these farmers are part of a coffee quality program and are all organic certified.
Caramel, apple and dark chocolate

Altitude: 1600 - 2100 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker, Plus 87
Galeras Decaf, Colombia The town of Buesaco lies high on a ridge in the Andes Mountains of the Nariño department in Colombia. The cooperative works with more than 300 smallholders farmers all over the Nariño department who generally harvest coffee all year around. Farmers are paid premiums on top of the market price these premiums incentivize high quality standards and good agricultural practices, like avoiding the usage of glyphosate and other chemicals. This lot of decaffeinated coffee in particular consists of small batches of beans from farms around the Galeras Volcano. This coffee was decaffeinated using the Ethyl Acetate (EA) decaffeination process.

Ethyl acetate is produced by esterification between ethyl alcohol, which is derived from the fermentation of sugar cane, and acetic acid. The green coffee is submerged in a wash of water and ethyl acetate, during which the ethyl acetate bonds with the caffeine in the coffee and begins to extract it from the green seeds. The EA solution is flushed and the process is repeated until reaching a minimum decaffeination level of 97%. Finally, the green coffee is steamed to remove any remaining ethyl acetate from the seeds.
Caramel, milk chocolate and apple

Altitude: 1850 masl, Process: EA sugarcane
Decaf
Unit Fourteen, Peru Estrella Divina is harvested by 27 smallholder farmers living in the village of ‘Rumipite’ in the San Ignazio region of northern Peru. This area has a very unique microclimate that is created when the warm air currents from the plains of Rumipite travel up the mountainside and mix with the cool fresh air that descends from the La Coipa mountains.

Farmers in this area typically have around 2 hectares of land growing various varieties such as Bourbon, Caturra, Catuai and some Typica. You will often hear the phrase ‘mingas’ that translates to ‘today for you, tomorrow for me’ a community mindset which is helping farmers and families in this rural region. Each farm has a micro mill called ‘benficios’ where they process the coffee themselves using a small pulper and a wooden or concrete fermentation tank. Fermentation is normally 13-18 hours and drying takes between 12-20 days. Their equipment is often extremely simple and the coffees produced here have been of an extremely high standard. We are particularly excited that all these farmers are part of a coffee quality program and are all organic certified.
Caramel, apple and dark chocolate

Altitude: 1600 - 2100 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker
Naginzole, Uganda This is just the first year of production for the Bulambuli washing station, being built only last year it’s an exciting time for us to get involved in a new project. This coffee comes as a result of a three-way collaboration between a local land owner/entrepreneur (Ben Mukhone), local exporter and 2 coffee importers. One of the main aims for this was to produce coffees that are fully traceable.

The coffee that supplies this washing station comes from small hold farmers with less than 1 hectare of farm land, on average a hectare will be room for fewer than 1500 trees with each tree producing between 150 and 200g of green coffee. Mills like this are integral in supporting those small hold farmers with fair prices for their green coffee.

This particular lot is a blend of SL28, SL14 and SL34 varietals that we commonly see in neighbouring Kenya. Kenyan coffees are typically washed but here the coffee has been processed as a natural and it is exciting to see how it changes the flavour. The coffee is moved between being under the shade and out in the sun but is covered during the hottest hours of the day. This creates a slow and homogeneous drying process which adds to the quality of the coffee, this drying process takes between 15 and 20 days.
Blueberry, clove and vermouth

Altitude: 1950 masl, Process: natural
Selected Mix, Single / Light

Dear Green roast as well as train and educate, grind, brew and share, always pursuing excellence in all things coffee. Dear Green ensures that every coffee they source meets their ethical policies, and they roast to maximise the sensory tasting experience. Every bean is well considered, well sourced and only sold if it meets our QC tolerances. They're obsessed.

Established in 2011, Dear Green Coffee Roasters is a coffee roaster and supplier of exclusively speciality grade coffee beans, taking their name from our home city of Glasgow, known as 'The Dear Green Place'. Their roastery and showroom is located in the heart of Glasgow's creative East End, within The Glasgow Collective, just a stone's throw away from the legendary music venue and marketplace, the Barrowlands.

Dear Green Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Duromina Co-op, Ethiopia Duromina, means 'to improve their lives.' When we first started roasting, coffee from the area of Djimma in Western Ethiopia was synonymous with poor quality and a natural dried process. Skip to 2010 and around one hundred local coffee farmers in Djimma banded together to form Duromina. As the name suggests, their goal was simples: to improve their lives.

With technical support, business advice and access to finance through the Technoserve coffee Initiative, the members acquired and installed a wet mill and began processing fully washed coffee for the first time. After all they had the perfect altitude, soils, varietals and rainfall to do so!

The improvements made helped Duromina produce high-quality coffee and bring new prosperity to the community. Two years later, an international panel of professional judges would select Duromina's coffee as the best in Africa, awarding the cooperative the top prize in the leading regional cupping competition. Pretty good going! This coffee achieves a classic balance of sweet and citrus flavours with a tea like texture and floral notes.
Lemon curd, floral and sweet tea

Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Plus 87
Odaco, Ethiopia Scoring a whopping 89 Specialty Points, this coffee from the Shantawene community is a micro-lot and has been called “Odako” to reflect the powerful culture of Shantawene, Sidama people. Odako is a popular tree name in Shantawene, Bensa. The Odako tree is where the Shantawene community meets under the tree to resolve the conflicts in the area. There is a similar tradition in other parts of Ethiopia as well for example the 'Oda' tree in Oromo.

The coffee is sourced from 563 Daye Bensa member farmers from the Shantawene area and Gatta Daye Bensa Farm. Daye Bensa micro-lots are a limited production, this approach help them to focus on the quality of the beans. As soon as the coffee is received it gets sorted by floating and picking out the ripe cherries.

The coffee is then dried on African beds for 13-15 days; one person is assigned per each individual bed to rotate the cherries every 15 minutes to ensure uniformity of drying. At Daye Bensa traceability is extremely important for their micro lots. The record-keeping book is carefully handled and separation is key to guaranteeing the highest level of quality. When the cherries are received they get separated, the coffee is then kept separate throughout drying, processing, and storage. Label state the delivery dates, farm name, lot number, and other details related to the particular lot.
Mango, peach syrup and passion fruit

Altitude: 2100 masl, Process: natural
Plus 87
AMACA, Colombia Coming soon Stone fruit, kiwi and toffee Selected Mix, Single / Light
Finca Filadelfia, Guatemala The Dalton family honours its coffee growing heritage by continuing to operate their farm in Antigua and by exporting high quality Guatemalan coffee around the world from neighbouring farmers. Their own farm, Finca Filadelfia is currently being operated by 5th and 6th generations. This Finca was the first coffee farm in Antigua, born out of a devastating recession facing farms across the country. ​Manuel Matheu initially borrowed the land in 1864 to plant some coffee. After his first harvest, he went to London and achieved great success selling his first crop. His great great great granddaughters are continuing his story by way of women owned import company Coffee Bird.

The farm only grows Bourbon, Caturra, and Pacamara. This is the second harvest of the Pacamara and it has a unique lavender note. The Bourbon and Caturra grow together on the same lots and are picked together.

An incredibly impressive production and must see for anyone travelling in the area, Finca Filadelfia produces consistently high quality with this years crop offering flavour notes of raisin, citrus and caramel sweetness with a persistent finish. Delicious!
Raisin, demorara and milk chocolate

Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Plus 87
Hulia, Colombia Our Colombian E.A. (ethyl acetate) decaf offering is special in more ways than one: First, they're cupped specifically for their quality and sourced by single-origin, either region or farm. They are called Decaf De Caña because they're custom decaffeinated in Colombia, using a special, natural process that utilizes a solvent of ethyl acetate, which can be derived from fermented sugar. Our raw coffee partner, Cafe Imports have personally visited the decaffeination plant several times, and we are impressed by the process as well as the quality in the cup!

The process works by soaking green coffee in a solution of E.A., which bonds to the salts of chlorogenic acid in the coffee and allows for the removal of caffeine. The coffee is removed from the solvent and steamed at low pressure to remove the E.A. compounds, and the finished product retains its flavor integrity but contains almost no caffeine at all. (The beans will contain a maximum of 0.01–0.03% caffeine.)
Chocolate, orange and malt

Altitude: 1200 - 2000 masl, Process: EA sugarcane
Decaf
Fazenda Pantano, Brazil Brazilian coffee is world renowned and this speciality coffee from The Cerrado region is exceptional. Farmed at the Fazenda Pantano Estate, the coffee has a highly complex flavour profile with berry sweetness and praline nuttiness. These coffee beans create a clean cup with a bright body and highly complex flavour. Full flavour, rich with berry sweetness and praline nuttiness. The Fazenda Pantano Estate also supports a local school, and funds training schemes for their staff. Dark chocolate, fudge and sugar

Altitude: 900 - 1350 masl, Process: red honey and washed
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker

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GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.

GUSTATORY Curation TeamJanuary 08, 2023