Guatemala Oriente DP - This coffee was such a unique offering, I couldn't pass on it.
This is a full natural sun-dried coffee from Guatemala. In this case, the ripe coffee cherries are laid out on a patio to sun dry. The juicy fruit dries somewhat like a raisin, or dried cranberry, and surrounds the inner seed with sweet juicyness. This helps to impart a greater depth of wonderful flavor into the coffee "bean".
At a mid-level roast this is a dark chocolate fruit explosion. Red wine and fruity aromatics translate to the cup, and hides within a bed of chocolate.
El Salvador Yellow Bourbon - This Yellow Bourbon comes from El Molina de Santa Rita in the Department of Chalatenango in Northwest El Salvador. Bright and crisp notes melon notes up front balance remarkably with a toasted bittersweetness and create a wonderful afternoon coffee.
Ethiopia DP Bonko "Black Sun" - This coffee, carrying the "Black Sun" milling mark, is another wonderful coffee from the Dara region in Sidamo. It comes from the Bonko collective -- a group of about 300 small share land holders.
Exceptional care was taken to pick ripe only cherries and carefully lay them out to dry on raised screen beds. This carefull attention to quality comes through in the cup. Strawberry, peach, apricot, hints of plum and melon, with a background of nice hazelnut.
Yemen Mokha Mattari - This is one of my favorite coffees. It has been difficult to find a good lot in the past couple of years, but this one is a remarkable find.
This comes from pure Heirloom Yemen seedstock from the Bani Mattar region.
In the cup it is red winey fruit, tobacco spice, bittersweet chocolate, and a satisfying earthy quality that completes the cup. It is remarkable fragrant and balanced and is a welcome treasure.