Tasting Notes: August 2021 Coffees
An award winning coffee roastery based in Brixton, London, Assembly roast some of the world’s highest quality coffees using precise roasting methods and offer them in some of the world's most-acclaimed independent cafes and restaurants. Known for their coffee illustrations as much as their limited edition coffees, their collaborative setup allows them the ability to create innovative solutions to industry challenges.
Assembly Coffees | UK
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Timor Leste Laclo | On April 4th devastating floods left 14,000 people homeless and without shelter in Timor-Leste. While some support exists around the capital of Dili regional and coffee growing communities remain in urgent need of help. All profits form the sale of this coffee will go towards urgent disaster relief. For more information, or to donate separately visit the campaign page here. Raw Material continue to facilitate some of Assembly's most impactful buying relationships. We believe they continue to set an example for how to construct sustainable and longterm supply chain programmes through rigorous and comprehensive ethnographic understanding of the origin where they choose to operate. Laclo is the name of one of the main coffee producing villages (or sucos in Tetun), that provide cherry to the Atsabe wet mill. The village’s coffee land sits between 1200-1600MASL, where between 80 and 150 coffee producing families are selling to the washing station at any given time during the harvest season. The village itself has four sub villages, and a total household figure of almost 500 families. |
Honeydew, brown sugar and tea like Altitude: 1600 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87, Single |
| Bumbogo, Rwanda | The Bumbogo washing station, operated by the Neza trading company in partnership with Muraho Trading is one of the stand out processing stations in the renowned Gakenke district of Rwanda. Muraho’s Director of Quality, Emmanual Rusatira, overseas production at the washing station where 200 raised drying beds allow for precise natural, washed and honey processed coffees. Brothers Gaudam and Karthick Anbalagan are the founders of the Muraho Trading Company and, although raised to call Rwanda home, grew up in New Zealand after their families fled the Rwandan 1994 Genocide. Muraho Trading, and its network of affiliate producers, is the brothers’ way of giving back to their beloved home by helping local producers to attain high quality and innovative cup profiles than can then be promoted around the world. The Bumbogo mill is the newest in their network of coffee washing stations but has quickly risen to fame. Located ideally for transport just 1hr from the region’s capital of Kigali and with prevalent dry winds making for ideal coffee drying the station has quickly risen in fame and production has doubled since its inception in only 2018. |
Nectarine, strawberry and creamy Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87 |
| Fazenda Pinhal, Brazil | Fazenda Pinhal is quite literally the most sustainable coffee farm in the world having won first prize in the last two Global Sustainable Farming awards. The programme and awards are co-housed by unilateral certification bodies including 4C, Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade Organic. More than half of Fazenda Pinhal is protected as native rainforest area which also provides homes for native rescued wildlife. The farm is 100% powered by solar energy and creates an energy surplus which is then distributed among neighboring farms. The coffee itself is exceptional, this being the Arara variety, processed specifically to accentuate rich and dense sweetness as an espresso. As of 2021 harvest Pinhal will constitute a mainstay in the Assembly house and Espresso Blend offerings as we look to build on contributions to the immense work Pedro and his team has committed too. |
Hazelnut, milk chocolate and creamy Altitude: 1200 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Single |
| Assembly Blend | The Assembly Blend is our suggested ‘House Espresso’ and has been created in collaboration with baristas and cafe owners from some of the most esteemed specialty coffee cafes in the U.K. The blend is designed to be versatile, suited to milk and black drinks equally and fine tuned tor the changing tastes of the UK coffee drinker. Sweet and clean with a rich body, and a viscous mouthfeel the Assembly Blend suits the tastes of both the independent industry and the coffee drinking public. |
Chocolates, sweet, rich, viscous Process: washed |
Blends |
| Decaf, Colombia | Our Decaf coffee is produced in Huila by farmers and producers from Raw Materials' El Carmen project. The decaffeination plant for this coffee is located in the city of Manizales. They use a sugar cane decaffeination process to strip the coffee of its caffeine content. This process utilises naturally derived ethyl acetate (a byproduct from refining sugar cane), diluted with local spring water. Ethyl acetate attaches itself to substances of a particular molecular weight (including caffeine), to decaffeinate the coffee without hindering its natural complexities and flavour compounds. | Demerara, nuts and smooth Altitude: 1400 - 2100 masl, Process: sugar cane decaffeinated |
Decaf |
Following on from recently featuring Five Elephant, we return to Berlin with Roststatte. Aligning themselves entirely with GUSTATORY's own principles [read more], when purchasing their green coffees, Roststatte pay fair purchase prices that are far above the world market level or Fairtrade certification offers - we love to hear when roasters match our mission, and we're here for this very reason, to make coffee more and more ethical and sustainable.
Roststatte Coffees | Germany
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelchele, Ethiopia | Chelchele is a perfect gateway for naturally processed coffees from the Yirgacheffe province in Ethiopia. Sweet and creamy, but not over-fermented aromas of sweet cream, apricot and orange blossom together form an exciting taste profile in the cup with a creamy texture that can already be reminiscent of cream bon bons. As soon as you open the pack, you will be met by a wonderful scent. A coffee to enjoy. The Chelchele Washing Station is named after the "Kebele" or village where the coffee is harvested. The growers from the surrounding community bring the coffee cherries to this washinf station on the METAD farm in Gedeb, Yirgacheffe, for further processing. The landscape in the region is characterized by many mountains and small farms that have been growing various local coffee varieties and vegetables for generations. |
Sweet cream, orange blossom and apricot Altitude: 2200 masl+, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Davis Quiroz, Panama | Davis Quiroz is part of a Reserve Microlot program from various farms in the La Palma and El Tucan region. All stages of production are subject to very high quality requirements, which are also reflected in the taste. Davis Quiroz is an extremely elegant coffee from which, depending on the drinking temperature, you can expect a complex interplay of aromas. Our recommendation: give it a try. The 2 hectare farm is owned by David Quiroz, who and his team look after a total of 8,000 coffee plants and have been working with coffee for 15 years. Coffee has long been a source of income for David and his family and an integral part of their tradition. Finca Quiroz is part of the Creativa Coffee District producer community, which uses innovative fermentation methods when processing green coffee with an artistic approach and its own facilities. This is clearly reflected in the exceptional quality of the coffee. |
Maraschino cherry, black tea, biscuit and white nougat Process: natural |
Rest of World |
| Aponte, Colombia | With Aponte we have a silky structured coffee with an intense taste of yellow wine gum, followed by candied red apple and white nectarine as it cools. The background of this coffee is remarkable and a great example of how the cultivation of specialty coffee can improve conditions in the region. As described in the details of the farm (see above), the coffee is grown by the Inga Community in Aponte, an indigenous community that was characterized by violent exploitation by drug cartels and paramilitaries in the 1990s. For years, the tribe was under the influence of guerrilla groups and drug traffickers, and forcibly involved in poppy seed and heroin production. The new drug is called coffee and has helped restore peace to the region. Today Aponte is an ambitious community with great coffees that we are happy about. The Inga community of Aponte are the descendants of the pre-Hispanic Incas. The once peaceful mountains were teeming with illegal plantations and violence that the Ingas were trapped in until fifteen years ago. In the last ten years the mountains have become a safe zone for the Inga tribe, illegal crops have been eradicated to make way for a new culture: coffee! The Caturra variety is planted in the Inga area on smallholder plots at an average altitude of 2,150 meters. The mounting height in combination with the Galeras volcano, which constantly sheds nutrient-rich ash, results in an extraordinarily complex and sweet coffee. |
Candied apple, nectarine and wine gum Altitude: 2150 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87 |
| Santiago, Brazil | Santiago is a very full-bodied filter coffee from Brazil with a very subtle acidity of sweet berries. As a filter coffee, the taste of Santiago is particularly reminiscent of milk chocolate, cocoa and macadamia. Thanks to the handy brewing process in the V60 hand filter, the dry coffee develops a pleasant sweetness and a full body without unpleasant bitter substances. Subtle notes of sweet berries round off this balanced coffee wonderfully. A really good 100% Arabica coffee from the most famous growing region in Brazil, Cerrado Mineiro. Santiago is a farm coffee that is grown on the farm of the same name in Patos de Minas. Patos de Minas is located in the Cerrado Mineiro region in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil, which is very famous for coffee growing. The local coffee farms are organized into cooperatives that are under the control of the Cerrado Coffee Growers Federation. The farm is located at an altitude of 1,100 meters and is operated by Elmiro Alves do Nascimento. Coffees from Cerrado Mineiro are provided with a special seal to highlight the high quality standards in the cultivation and harvest of the coffees within the region. On each coffee sack there are additional QR codes that enable direct tracing back to the farm. An exemplary measure of transparency in the world's largest coffee-growing country, Brazil. |
Caramel, nut chocolate and cocoa Altitude: 1100 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Single |
| Capital Blend, Peru / India / Brazil | Capital is our new "Hometown Favorite" blend, carefully balanced with a creamy texture in the cup, extra crema and a particularly full body. The taste of the fine espresso is reminiscent of dark chocolate, toffee and hazelnut. If you like to drink your espresso with a full crema, our new blend is the right choice. In contrast to our other roasts, the Capital is a bit more classic in taste, strong but at the same time completely low in acidity. Balanced, chocolatey-sweet notes meet a full-bodied body with lots of character. |
Toffee, chocolate and hazelnut Altitude: 1100 masl, Process: washed |
Dark |
| CO2 Decaf, Brazil | This caffeine-free espresso is decaffeinated naturally without chemical additives using the Swiss Water process. The decaffeination process takes place exclusively by adding water. This method is particularly gentle on the coffee and enables complex taste profiles in the cup. The taste of our decaf is reminiscent of honey and cocoa in combination with a balanced acidity of ripe citrus fruits. The Fazenda Primavera has risen to become one of the most renowned coffee farms in Brazil since winning the infamous Cup of Excellence competition in 2018. At an altitude of 1,000 to 1,100 meters, various high-quality Arabica plants such as yellow and red catuai as well as topazio and geisha are grown on the farm under excellent climatic conditions and rich vegetation. In addition to strict quality principles, producer Ricardo Tavares relies on a resource-saving approach to coffee cultivation, which has earned the farm the title of 3rd Most Sustainable Farm in Brazil. |
Honey, citrus fruits and cocoa Altitude: 1100 masl, Process: swiss water decaf |
Decaf |
| El Palto, Peru | El Palto is a very clear coffee from Peru with a balanced, light acidity of green apple followed by refreshing notes of sweet lemonade and kumquat. With the purchase you support the Jumarp cooperative in the sustainable reforestation of the Amazon region. The 350 producers of the Cooperativa Agraia Juan Marco El Palto (JUMARP) grow coffee on their farms in the highlands of the Utcubamba province in the Amazon region in northern Peru. Together with three other cooperatives in the Amazon and in neighboring Cajamarca, JUMARP is part of the Café Selva Norte project to convert degraded areas into agricultural methods of sustainable agroforestry. |
Green apple, lemonade and kumquat Process: washed |
Light, Single |
| Novum, Peru, Ethiopia, Kenya | A fruity and complex ristretto or espresso with a balanced and aromatic-fruity acidity. The taste is dominated by intense aromas of black currant and the sweetness of dark chocolate. With the novelty you get an espresso blend with a particularly pleasant ratio of sweetness and berry fruitiness. You can use the Ristretto capsules with the capsule machine for the Nespresso system. They are ideal as a ristretto or classic espresso. | Dark forest berries and chocolate Process: washed and natural |
Capsules |
| Sinfonia, Brazil, Peru | A particularly full-bodied espresso that also unfolds its typical chocolaty taste in the espresso capsules. The Sinfonia has been one of our most popular roasts right from the start. Two Arabica varieties from Brazil and Peru meet here and create a sweet, nutty and creamy aroma in the cup. | Chocolate, toffee and hazelnut Process: washed and natural |
Capsules |
Great coffees takes many forms. There is no such thing as "the best coffee in the world", but only the one that appeals to you the most. Part of an ever-evolving and increasingly popular coffee culture in Portugal and Spain, WOW are known to be super colourful and experimental. Often with coffees from lesser-known coffee origins and farmers, WOW do their best to discover something exotic and different for their fans.
WOW Coffees | Portugal
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finca Colima, Costa Rica | Coming soon | Coming soon Process: honey |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Dipilto, Nicaragua | Coming soon | Coming soon Process: washed |
Plus 87, Single |
| Mohamed Ali, Ethiopia | Coming soon | Coming soon Process: honey |
Plus 87, Single |
| Sitio Santa Rita, Brazil | Coming soon | Coming soon Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
A coffee roastery, three coffee shops, a training centre, a pastry shop, but first and foremost, a team of people who love the world of premium coffee. Back in the days when the taste of premium coffee was considered to be a somewhat exotic phenomenon by café owners, Doubleshot began life with half of their team going to learn the art of coffee roasting in Canada, whilst the other half gaining valuable experience working on coffee farms in Central America. Today, Doubleshot are European-known with many barista and roastery awards to their name.
Doubleshot Coffees | Czech Republic
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mikuba, Burundi | Honey-processed bourbon coffee by Ben and Kristy Carlson from the Long Miles Coffee project. Coffee from the Mikuba community is in taste the embodiment of the best that the Kayanza region has to offer. Our second lot this year is distinctly sweet, with fresh citrus acidity and tones of honey. This is a coffee of the bourbon variety processed in a honey way . The honey process of processing cherries at the Heza station is almost perfected. Freshly picked cherries are first soaked in a tank of water, where the so-called "floaters" are sorted - cherries with a low grain density. Subsequently, a special about 50-meter-long drop is sent to the lower part of the station, where they are peeled off in McKinnon peelers and transferred to shaded beds, where they spend 3 days. It is then dried for up to 27 days in the sun. The taste of the coffee is extremely sweet and full . It reminds us with its tones of citrus , honey and brown sugar . |
Brown sugar, citrus and honey Process: honey |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Gakuyuini, Kenya | The distinctly juicy taste of currants, complemented by balanced tones of rhubarb and vanilla, makes this Kenyan coffee a clear choice for lovers of fruity and fresh coffees. Gakuyuini is our first coffee of this year's Kenyan season. The Gakuyuini processing plant is located in the Nyeri region, near the villages of Githiru, Gituba and Mukure (about 1.5 hours by car from the capital Nairobi) and is part of the Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative Society. Cherries are bought from about 1553 small farmers (674 women, 879 men) from the surrounding villages. The main harvest lasts from October to January, the secondary from March to April. Processing is typical for the region, ie. that freshly picked cherries of the SL 28 and SL34 varieties are dehulled in disc peelers, followed by fermentation in concrete tanks (usually overnight), washing and leaving the cherries in cold water before spreading on African beds. Drying takes 7-15 days depending on the weather. |
Currants, rhubarb and vanilla Process: washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Valdir, Brazil | Coffee from Brazilian producer Valdir Ferreira and his wife Daniela, who owns the Sítio Joaninha farm in the Boa Vista Zani valley near the town of Caconde in the state of Sao Paulo. This microlot was processed by the dry method in August last year. The story of the Beruška farm is similar to other Brazilian farms from which we buy coffee. The farm was founded 35 years ago by Valdir Ferreira's grandparents, who were born and worked all their lives. The reality of the coffee market (low purchase prices and their volatility) and, above all, the unsustainable development of the farm (the use of a large amount of synthetic fertilizers) forced it at the beginning of the 21st century. the Ferreira family to change their philosophy and focus primarily on product quality and organic farming. |
Gingerbread, black tea and brown sugar Process: dry natural |
Plus 87 |
| Celso and Gertrudes, Brazil | We have been enjoying coffees from Celso and Gertrudes for more than 10 years already. They are juicy, creamy and super sweet. This naturally processed red bourbon was chosen from last crop in September 2020. We roast this coffee primarily for single origin espresso. Expect notes of maple leaf sirup, red fruits and nougat. Until 2007, Celso and Gertrudes, producers from Caconde region of Sao Paulo (map), focused their work predominantly on the commodity market. That meant growing and processing as much coffee as they could without considering the impact of heavy use of synthetic chemicals on their farms. Not mentioning the poor quality of the final product. The reality of "C" market (low prices, volatility etc.) together with the unsustainable farming practices, forced Celso and his wife Gertrudes to either quit coffee farming altogether or change their philosophy drastically. In cooperation with Marcos Croce and his son Felipe from Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF), they decided to give it a go in the specialty market. First, they focused on improving picking (ripe cherries only), separating the crop into microlots based on cultivars and paying close attention to the drying process (using African beds). Later, they also included many principles of organic farming into their lives. |
Maple leaf syrup, red fruits and nougat Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Tam Dem Blend | When creating an espresso mixture Tam Dem , we are always looking for coffees with a distinctive and distinctive character, which together will create a complex and non-traditional taste experience. Tam Dem's current espresso blend is based on three coffees: Bolivia El Fuerte - 33%; Brazil Ivan and Rosé - 33%; Colombia Imbachi - 33%. | Nutella, hazelnuts and plums Process: dry, washed |
Selected Mix, Dark |
| La Serrania Decaf, Colombia | This decaf comes from 15 producers from the Colombian region of Huila. The decaffeinated grains are removed in a purely natural way at the DESCAFECOL plant with the help of an extract of ethyl acetate from sugar cane. The resulting taste has tones of toast, vanilla, honey and cocoa. You definitely don't know it's decaf! It took us several years before we came across a really good decaffeinated coffee, which in aroma and taste does not match the other coffees in our offer. The process of decaffeination using an extract of ethyl acetate (EA) from sugar cane is relatively new and has only recently reached Europe. What is so interesting about the process? Above all, the fact that it can change the taste of coffee positively rather than negatively. By law, Colombian coffees can only be processed by the washed method. However, La Serrania and other decaffeinated coffees in DESCAFECOL have a touch of fruit tones, which we are more used to with dry-processed coffees. The "fault" is the solvent used in the process. Ethyl acetate is a by-product of sugar cane processing. When mixed with water, EA is used as a caffeine-binding agent. The final fruitiness and sweetness in the cup can thus be considered an interesting "added value" of the process of decaffeination. |
Toast, vanilla, honey and cocoa Process: washed decaffeinated |
Decaf |
Established in 1837 as The Grasshopper Tea Warehouse, Atkinsons' beautiful old shop is now the centrepiece of a thriving independent coffee sector. Atkinsons are big believers in 'relationship coffees', those with strong sustainable links to their coffee growers and like-minded café owners, as well as coffee enthusiasts at home.
A truly family affair, Atkinsons remains to be one of UK's longest serving roasters, and are the perfect balance of age-olde and modern. Today, Atkinsons can be found in five awesomely architectural locations.
Atkinsons Coffees | UK
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beloya, Ethiopia | Beloya is a classic Yirgacheffe coffee, with floral notes of honeysuckle, peach and almond. We roast it medium light to hang on to its delicate aromatics. It is so popular we will be roasting small batches of it several times a week. So bags of Beloya will always be on their way to you a couple of days after roast. It grows in abundance where coffee first originated from in the fertile forests of Ethiopia. Coffee is so deeply engrained in Ethiopian culture that they are the only coffee producing nation that actually consumes domestically more coffee than it exports of this precious commodity. Despite this it is still the main export of their economy. In most coffee producing countries, coffee was introduced as a cash crop through colonialization. However, in Ethiopia, coffee has been growing naturally for thousands of years. As a result It now has thousands of varieties of coffee that have evolved over time. We are right now entering a new age of naming these varieties and giving them the recognition they deserve. |
Peach, honeysuckle and almond Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| Rahman Inara, Sumatra | On a hectic tour of Northern Sumatra, after fitting a two day road trip from Lake Toba to Lake Takengon into one long odyssey, I was stopped in my tracks when I saw Mr. Birman's beans at Rahmat Inara. Here was a Rainforest Alliance Farm that had evidently put the work in and deserved to reap the rewards. The beans in question were that deep blue-green with a matt opacity, typical of the unique Indonesian wet-hulled process. This is where the moisture content, can remain as high as 20% even after resting in the blazing heat of the drying patio. The beans are then held in the parchment and gradually reduced to around 12%. This is the sort of 'Time-Critical' nuancing that can make or break a coffee at this stage of the process. I was so impressed that I decided there and then to replace our old Sumatra DP which had historically been the core coffee on our lists from this region, with these glorious looking beans. As ever the trip to origin was delivering a deeper insight into coffee production and informing buying decisions to result in better quality. On this occasion I learnt that DP stood for Double Picked, referring not to picking the cherries off the shrub but the number of passes the de-hulled beans had been through by the hand selectors on the conveyor belts. So the next grade up was visibly another step up in quality at Mr. Birman's farm. |
Rosemary, dark chocolate, tobacco Altitude: 1400 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
| Stereotype, Guatemala | Here at Atkinsons Coffee are very excited to bring you a brand new seasonal, Single Origin iteration of our ever popular Stereotype Espresso. It is a particularly well-balanced coffee from a Co-operative familiar to most regulars called Pensativo, which we discovered on our last memorable trip to Guatemala. Unsurprisingly Stereotype Espresso is roasted for espresso but you can brew it however you like! We found that Pensativo responded really well to being roasted just a little darker, with a longer development time to accentuate the sugar browning stage of the roast. It provides the medium, creamy body and tamed acidity that we love in this coffee with notes of hazelnut and cocoa nibs and a toffee apple finish. |
Cocoa, brown sugar and hazelnut Altitude: 1600 - 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| Prototype, Ethiopia | Prototype Espresso is a seasonal coffee that is all about intense sweetness and bright acidity, with dominant fruit and floral flavours. This season we have chosen to highlight just one coffee in Prototype, the Ethiopian Hambella Natural. The roast is designed for espresso, so although we feel this is where it shines, it can also be enjoyed as a filter. Hambella’s story began with an amazingly inspirational woman called Muluemebet Emiru. She was the grandmother of the current owners of the farm. Muluemebet was Ethiopia’s first ever female pilot in the early days of aviation. As you would imagine she was quite a celebrity and rubbed shoulders with the highest in the land. After the second world war she was gifted a plot of land by none other than the Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie. |
Floral, hops and syrup Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
| Archetype, Peru / Guatemala | Like all of our coffees, Archetype changes slightly with the seasons. Utilising coffees from north and south of the equator with different harvest times, we aim for a seamless transition of fresh crops that will deliver a consistent brew year round. The flavour profile of this blend is all about big body, dark chocolate and caramel with a medium to low acidity. As an espresso it’s easy going and reliable, we like to pull shots of it short and strong to maximise that syrupy mouthfeel and bring out notes hazelnut, coco and molasses. In milk it’s super sweet like milk chocolate and butterscotch and although we usually use it in the espresso machine, a filter or french press will also deliver a satisfying and hefty brew. | Dark chocolate, hazelnut and molasses Altitude: various masl, Process: washed |
Dark, Blends |
| SW Decaf, Colombia | Our new Swiss Water de-caf is a decidedly nutty little number from Armenia (the region not the country) in Colombia. The lack of caffeine seems to accentuate the essential nuttiness of the Colombian bean. It also has a beguilingly smooth and honeycombed sweetness that is bright and clear and this caramel base is overlayed with dried fruit notes, like the currants in a Garibaldi biscuit. We are roasting this decaf coffee for espresso, so it has a high solubility giving a syrupy mouthfeel and lots of sweetness, packing plenty of lovely pop-corn aroma in super-abundance long before first crack. This big delivery of aroma is reflected in the taste, which never disappoints, lashings of peanut butter on a hot buttered crumpet, toasted to perfection! But then that's what you want from a de-caf, surely? Something super-tasty to compensate, as a special reward for missing out on all that crazy caffeine! |
Cocoa, sultana and toasted nuts Altitude: 1200 - 1400 masl, Process: washed swiss water decaffeinated |
Decaf |
| San Lorenzo, Costa Rica | San Lorenzo is one of the highest altitude districts in Tarrazu, the main coffee producing region of Costa Rica. It produces some of the highest scoring, most beautiful coffees to be found on any cupping table in the world. Atkinsons and Costa Rica go back a long, long way, perhaps even to the dawn of the Victorian Age. Just as we were founded in 1837 so coffee from Costa Rica started coming in to British waters, in the early 1840's. The trade routes that opened up made Costa Rican coffee one of the most popular origins on the dining tables (and presumably the cafés?) of Britain. For the next century, up until 1945 and the end of the Second World War more coffee from Costa Rica made its way to Britain than any other consuming nation. |
Blackcurrant and chocolate liqueur Altitude: 1750 - 1800 masl, Process: natural |
Light, Single |
GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.