Tasting Notes: October 2022 Coffees
Gardelli is the brainchild of Rubers Gardelli - the most successful competition roaster ever. He’s qualified for the most World Coffee Roasting Championships (four of five times), won the most recent one, won the Italian Coffee Roasting Championship four years running and somehow has also won multiple Brewer’s Cups in Italy and a World Brewer’s Cup. No roaster comes close to these achievements.
Each coffee Gardelli buy and sell has passed through Rubens' insane cupping protocol which includes a strict blind tasting and blind selection. All of the coffees we have selected for you are exquisite. We have no doubt that you will agree.
Gardelli Coffees | Italy
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirambo, Rwanda | Kirambo coffee washing station sits on a hill stretching to the shores of Lake Kivu. The station was constructed in 2008, for many years its operation was unstable because the owner did not have financing for working capital, and the station was rented out to different people every year. For all those years, farmers did not have a partner who would provide them any support beyond buying coffee cherries.
RTC purchased Kirambo in 2017, and operated it for the first time in 2018 season. This year alone, all farmers were registered to enrol in RTC's farmer impact programmes and training for certification. The high quality of the coffee and the openness of the farmers to innovation at Kirambo have allowed RTC to produce fully washed and natural coffee with high cup scores. Cherries are delivered to the Kirambo station, where they are floated and separated to remove any defective cherries. The coffee is then placed on the raised African beds at about 2 cm of thickness where it is dried for up to 30 days: when been dried, it is turned each hour and covered during night time. |
Hibiscus, blood orange, plum and mango Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| El Silencio, Colombia | This lot comes from the El Silencio farm, situated at 1700-1850 masl. Only Castillo is cultivated on the 6 hectares of coffee growing area. The producer Robinson Rivera has been growing coffee for 18 years. For five years, he has been part of Asociación de Caficultores del Centro del Cauca por la Paz (ACC) - a non-profit organisation that was created in 2016 in Piendamó, Cauca. Its purpose has always been improving the coffee quality, from cultivation to comercialisation, and by improving these the association aims to have social impact in the region such as reducing poverty and tackling social conflicts. ACC has 77 associates with an average of 1.5 hectares of land that are situated between 1,700 and 2,100 masl.
Castillo is named after the researcher Jamie Castillo, who helped Cenicafe, Colombia’s coffee research centre, develop the varietal in 2005. Castillo was designed as an improvement on the Colombia variety. It is resistant to leaf rust (roya) and has quickly become the most planted coffee in Colombia. It is high-yield, resistant to leaf rust and other prevalent diseases and its smaller size allows for greater planting density. |
Watermelon, cherry, mango, pomegranate and dark chocolate Altitude: 1700 - 1850 masl, Process: anaerobic natural |
Plus 87, Single / Light |
| El Eucalipto, Peru | Huabal is a district within the Jaén province of Cajamarca. This coffee-producing area is well known for the high quality of the coffee grown here. At the same time, due to very poor infrastructure, many local producers lack the resources and knowledge necessary to fully realise the potential of the coffee they cultivate. Altitudes in the area range from 1200 to 2100 masl, with the majority of farms located above 1800 masl. Huabal is made up of various villages, around which the coffee production is centered. Many farmers in Huabal have been regenerating the soil by planting with Catimore variety, which has been promoted by the government and international buyers, and in some altitude ranges this practice has produced great results. Using the premiums that they are receiving for quality, more and more producers are re-planting Caturra, Bourbon and Catuai. These varieties can yield larger harvests and coffee of better quality with the right care and fertilisation. Since Huabal spans a couple of mountains, the climate conditions and soils can vary considerably, with some areas characterised by wet, humid conditions and red, African-like soils, and others - by dry and hot weather. The differences in climate and soil contribute to outstanding cup profiles and some very complex coffees. The producer of this lot, Yoner, owns the small parcel of land high in the district of Huabal at 1700 masl, where he cultivates Caturra, Pache and Nacional. Nacional is the name sometimes used for Typica varietal in Peru, and it is rarely found in this region of Peru. There are some 4000 trees on the farm. |
Apple, toffee, gooseberry and maple syrup Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87, Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| Wosasa, Ethiopia | Wosasa is the name of a village in the area of Raro Nensebo Kebele.
The lot takes the name of the village where twenty five farmers that contributed to this lot live with their families, all of them are growing Gibirrina/Serto variety, local plants with high disease-resistant qualities.
Farmers grow their coffees under the shade of indigenous trees. The every size of a farm is 3.5 ha, and the farms are located around the Wosasa sub Kebele. The farmers, contributing to this lot, are trained in agronomy and post-harvest practices by Mr. Ture Waji, who has been nicknamed "King of Guji" for his important work with the farmers in the area. The drying stations in the area are unique thanks to the drying beds, with which the stations are equipped. Each bed has a tag of the lot that it contains, listing the beans' origin, the date of delivery delivery and the start date of drying. The tags also show the relative moisture content readings for each day. |
Jasmine, blueberry, rhubarb, almond and milk chocolate Altitude: 2100 - 2350 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Cignobianco, Guatemala & Ethiopia | Cignobianco is our signature and only espresso blend and has been the staple of our lineup since the very beginning. It is our interpretation of the perfect everyday coffee, something to be enjoyed whenever the desire takes you. To create it we carefully source two fresh-crop lots of speciality grade Arabica, working closely with the farmers to ensure the highest quality, and then infuse them with our passion and expertise to create a harmonious and balanced taste experience. This supreme balance and wonderful sweetness is reminiscent the grace and elegance of the White Swan (Cigno bianco) | Milk chocolate, almond, yellow plum and caramel Altitude: 1400 - 1900 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
Another roaster emerging from the vibrant Spanish speciality coffee scene, Three Marks are a distinctive and innovative roaster based in Barcelona. Whilst we are not sure what the origin of their name is, we can guarantee that they’ll leave their mark on you. Well, three to be precise. One on your pallet for their expertly roasted coffee, one on your head for their ethically sourced seasonal coffees and one on your heart for the love and care they take in sourcing and roasting coffee for you.
Three Marks Coffees | Spain
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Izuba, Burundi | Izuba meaning “sun” in Kirundi, is located in Runinya, Kabarore Commune, of Kayanza Province. The Izuba washing station is set close to a nearby river, providing a vital and regular freshwater source for coffee processing. The station is managed by Ntama Appolinaire, who works alongside Prosper Merrimee, the operational manager of RM Burundi. Izuba is situated near to the Kibira national park, where the soil and climate are paired well for fantastic coffee production.
All cherry is hand-sorted before a pre-pulp float, underripe or damaged cherry is removed. Once the cherry is sorted and cleaned, it is ready to be dried. The cherries are laid out evenly across raised beds, providing consistent airflow, and height away to prevent moisture and animals coming into contact with the cherry. The cherry is dried for between 25 and 30 days, turned constantly when the sun is high and covered during the night. Once the cherry has dried, the now dried outer fruit is removed, and the coffee beans are ready to be organised for packing. |
Blackcurrant, apple and red wine Altitude: 1500 - 1700 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light |
| Vunga, Rwanda | Coming soon | Red grape, mandarin orange and peach Altitude: 1450 - 1600 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Andino, Peru | Created in 2016, Coopagro is a new yet promising co-operative. One year after their foundation the co-op was the national winner of Peru’s Cup of Excellence. Andino brand are coffees harvested between 1600 and 1800 masl, their name origins at the height their crops are placed in the Andine area of Perú. This Nororiental zone has the highest average coffee production.
The Andine area has a climate conditions suitable for coffee production, helping performance and quality in cup. Our coffes are know for chocolate notes, vanilla, fresh panela, anise, nutmeg, caramel and cinnamon with citric hints and a balanced body. We are a first grade coffee producers Cooperative under Organic Certification, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in the Jaen Province. |
Honey, raisin, nutmeg Altitude: 1600 - 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Don Alebrije, Mexico | Coming soon | Cane sugar, caramel and vanilla Altitude: 1000 - 1300 masl, Process: Swiss water decaf |
Decaf |
| Jose Freitas, Brazil | José de Freitas is part of the third generation of coffee growers in the Araponga Region, Matas de Minas Gerais. Next to dos niños, it harvests 700 bags of 60 kg of coffee in 25 hectares of cultivation. On the property, the main cultivated varieties are Acaiá, Yellow and Red Catucaí and Icatu. The Boa Sorte site is located in the Atlantic Forest Biome, which corresponds to 13.04% of the Brazilian national territory. On the property, located at an altitude of 1200 meters, there are still 9 hectares of preserved forests and 1 water source.The coffees produced at Sítio Boa Sorte are certified by “Certifica Minas”, an important and free certification of the State of Minas Gerais to promote the adoption of sustainable practices, availability and better quality of grain, along with small and medium-sized coffee growers. The program is developed in different stages of production and includes a set of actions to guarantee coffees with certified origin. Since two years ago, José de Freitas has been associated with Flor de Café, who represents him in Europe, Australia and Taiwan. | Caramel, plum and dark chocolate Altitude: 1200 masl, Process: natural |
Blend / Darker |
Say hello to Copenhagen's Coffee Collective. Rightly regarded as one of the world's best coffee roasters, Coffee Collective have many coffee competition wins to their name, including gold in both the World Barista Championship and World Cup Tasting championships. Creators of fantastic coffee experiences while helping farmers achieve more value, it is very fair to say that Coffee Collective shares the exact same values as GUSTATORY - the highest of quality yet affordable coffees, all sourced with impressive ethics and sustainability from seed to cup in mind.
For context of their inclusion, Coffee Collective rarely partner with subscription services, and so we're doubly pleased to announce their inclusion with GUSTATORY for a second time.
Coffee Collective Coffees | Denmark
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halo, Ethiopia | High mountains in the region of Yirgacheffe located in East Africa are covered by green, luscious forests. Various monkeys live a quiet life in the crown of the wild, tall trees. Beneath the tree crowns are shade, and the air is a bit cooler up here. Just like wine, factors from the terroir play a huge part in developing aromas and exciting flavours in the coffee berry. The many elements the nature of Yirgacheffe brings, help develop just that. We’ll talk more about this later. Aman Adinew and his two brothers run their company, Metad Agricultural Development. Metad produce both washed and sundried coffee in various regions in Ethiopia. They have a washing station and dry mill located in Gedeb close to a small village named Halo Beriti. With their family’s heritage in mind, they make exceptional coffee by the traditions of Ethiopia.
Small farmers from Gedeb deliver coffee berries to the Halo Beriti mill. From the steep and bumpy roads, donkeys will carry the harvest of the day to the mill, where the coffee is processed. Looking into their jute bags on the back of the donkeys, you will find red, ripe berries. These are varieties of Bourbon, Typica as well as hybrids. If you ask a farmer, he may not refer to the specific variety as the globally accepted name, but by the names, they locally call the coffee tree. Therefore, the varieties in Ethiopia are often classified as Heirloom. Coffee from Yirgacheffe has always been one of our favorites. You can expect a complex coffee with a delicate acidity. To highlight the fruity and floral aromas we have quickly roasted the coffee so it is very light. Each coffee has its own roast profile, to ensure an even roast every time. For a change, it will now figurate on our espresso menu. If you are going for the espresso, it will be lighter as to how we would normally roast espresso. It will be very delicate and light with an oily mouthfeel and high on floral aromas and fruitiness. |
Floral, juicy, bergamot, jasmine and mandarin Altitude: 2100 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Kiangoi, Kenya | Kiangoi, a dry mill built up by a cooperative of 1,400 small farmers and managed by Kenneth Njeru. This is one of the best Kenyan coffees we have tasted, a classic Kenyan cup. We work by the values of transparent trade. This helps create a healthy relationship with the cooperative and financial sustainability for them. | Goosebyerry, rhubarb, rose and citrus fruits Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87 |
| Daterra Espresso, Brazil | Coming soon | Chocolate, caramel and pecan Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
| Buena Vista, Bolivia | The Rodriguez family, the father, Pedro, son Pedro Pablo and daughter Daniela own a farm consisting of seven different lots of land. The family are continually doing a great effort to lift the quality of specialty coffee in Bolivia. They process this coffee on the nearby mill called Buena Vista.
At the mill they both process coffees from their own seven farms, these coffees go under the name Fincas Los Rodriguez. But they also process and buy cherries from small farmers from the area and these coffees are referred to as Finca Buena Vista. We were here to cup this year’s harvest and try to decide what to bring back home, so we spend the most of our time here cupping at their beautiful cupping room with the view over the mountains surrounding Caranavi. In the cupping, we were presented with a lot of different coffees from both Fincas Los Rodriguez and Finca Buena Vista. We were impressed with the quality of the cupping that was exceptionally high, and they also showed a broad diversity of coffees. We started out with two tables of washed coffees all very clean, sweet and aromatic. After few got to taste a few Geishas from the area and then their Coco Naturals Once again it was the Coco Naturals that for us took the spotlight on the cupping tables. Aromas were fruity and fragrant, and the coffee was sweet, acidic and complex. The idea behind Coco Naturals is as we previously have described dehydrating the cherry instead of just drying it. The way the process works is that the cherries are dried on raised beds under a special UV-filter shade for the first days and then after this, they are finished in the Coco Dryers for a slowly and consistently drying/dehydration. |
Winey, raisin, cocoa nibs, apple and grape Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
When the founders started Campbell & Syme in October 2012, they instantly realised that coffee can taste incredibly sweet and juicy when its distinctive flavours are highlighted. Of the opinion that speciality coffee shouldn't be exclusive, it's about sharing experience and an exchange of conversations in which their cafes are just that, a place for their customers to feel welcome and appreciated.
A lot changed since then. Campbell & Syme has grown over the years with people adding their valuable skills and knowledge, but their key values stay the same, roasting wonderful coffees grown by superstar farmers.
Campbell & Syme Coffees | UK
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, Costa Rica | San Francisco is the name of a district in the Cordillera Central, also called La Zona de Los Santos, but it is also the name of the farm owned and run by Edgar Fallas Solis, his wife Ligia and their son Willian. Edgar is the second generation of his family to work on this 55-year-old farm and Willian, his son, will take over when he retires. The family owns 10-12 hectares of coffee, intercropped with avocados, citrus and banana trees. The original coffee variety grown was Caturra, but Catuai and Catimor varieties have been added. The family get their seedlings from the national coffee research centre, ICAFE. The farm is split into parcels, positioned from 1,400 to 2,000 masl, with the coffees for the microlots grown at 1,800+ masl.
Protecting the environment is important to Edgar. He is aware of the potential impact of climate change and the necessity of adapting his practices. He uses biodynamic techniques, intercropping, and the use of garlic and chilli to deter pests. He also plans to increase the ratio of organic to chemical fertilisation from its present 50:50 to 75:25. The content of the sugar in the cherries is monitored by the family using a Brix meter and cherries are harvested only when they reach the optimum range of sugar content. At the peak of the season, 15 people work with the family to harvest the coffee. Edgar and his family are members of Asoproaaa Coop, which counts more than 1,000 members, of which 300 are coffee producers. It offers financial and commercial help to members, distributing $1million for coffee, $1million for citruses, $1million for cattle and $1million for all entrepreneurship projects (which can be linked to coffee), as well as providing producers with access to credit. The association also runs a housing programme, with over 1,400 houses built for those most in need in the community. |
Melon and pomegranate Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
| Duromina, Ethiopia | Coming soon | Peach tea and jasmine Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| Juan Cubillos, Colombia | Juan Cubillos is the proud owner of Finca La Florida in Gigante, Hulia. The farm is a total of 16 hectares of land in the area of La Palma. Most of the farm is planted with Variedad Colombia, but in more recent years he has planted 9,000 Pink Bourbon trees, 2,000 Geisha trees and 500 SL-28 trees. He is married to Alba Lucia Camacho and has two children Santiago and Valeria.
The Colombia variety, also known as Variedad Colombia, was developed over five generations of breeding cycles between 1968 and 1982 by Cenicafé , being introduced in 1982. The Colombia variety was the result of successful hybridisation of Caturra with the Timor Hybrid. Then the offspring of this cross were self-pollinated with Caturra four times to result in the Colombia variety which is, like its parent Caturra, highly resistant to Coffee Leaf Rust and has a high yield. Colombia was developed in advance of Colombia’s first coffee leaf rust outbreak, which hit the country in 1983, and arguably helped to save the country’s coffee industry. This variety has been improved over the years and has been the breeding base for different sub-varieties, including the Tabi and the Castillo cultivars. Variedad Colombia comes in both red and yellow form and can be planted in high densities due to its relatively small size. |
Red plum and fudge Altitude: 1650 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87, Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| Leonel Hartwig, Brazil | Coming soon | Pineapple and pear Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| De Cana, Colombia | Colombian E.A. (ethyl acetate) decaf offerings are special in more ways than one: First, they're cupped specifically for their quality and sourced by single-origin, either region or farm. Cafe Imports call them Decaf De Caña because they're custom decaffeinated in Colombia, using a special, natural process that utilises a solvent of ethyl acetate, which can be derived from fermented sugar. Cafe Imports staff has personally visited the decaffeination plant several times, and we are impressed by the process as well as the quality in the cup! | Milk chocolate, peanut brittle and candied pecan Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: EA decaf |
Decaf |
| Fortis Green, S. America | Fortis Green Espresso was created to satisfy those who are looking for a balanced, sweet & rather traditional cup of coffee. Fortis Green seasonally changes with current crop and highlights each coffee’s best qualities. All components are selected to complement each other for the right balance of sweetness, body, acidity and smoothness. | Milk biscuit and toffee Process: washed |
Blend / Darker |
GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.