Beans: High Mountain
Roaster: Swing's Coffee
Roasting Degree: City
Blends(?): Guatemala, El Salvador, Sumatra
【Impression】
Light mellow body, jasmine like flowery aroma with orange, sweetness of raw almonds & macadamia nuts, non refined beet sugar, sheer bitterness of dark chocolate, layer of sweetness adding depth in body, juicy maple syrup like sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste ending with a tip of lemony refreshing acidity.
【Note】
"Stop by at Swing's", recommended a friend of mine.
Located in Washington D.C., Swing's coffee has been Washingtonians local coffee house.
Unfortunately, "the very first visit" of swing's has stayed out of reach; but here is a bag of their beans available at Wholefoods in Baltimore. Knowing this does not represent "Swing's coffee" enough, I grabbed a bag. According to Swing's web, "High Mountain is the coffee that Washingtonians stand in line for at Swing's on G Street." I am looking forward having "the day" to stop by 1702 G Street N.W to taste how this changes.
This jumped into my sight during my trip in Shimane prefecture.
A writer Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, "Yakumo Koizumi", well known for his books about Japan, such as "Kaidan"(also spelled as "Kwaidan"), Japanese ghost stories. He also known as his writing about New Orleans which he mentioned about his enthusiasm over coffee.
Lafcadio Coffee intends to re-create taste Yakumo liked.
This one called "Hearn Blend", blend of Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Since this was sold as ground for paper drip, flavor could be degraded in terms of aroma and the freshness, but this gives good flavor for Americano type coffee lover. Flavor is a little weak but has high acidity of citrus with a bit nutty aroma.
This do miss the essentials of coffee for a serious coffee lover like myself, but may make a good souvenir to show where you have been. There were 3 different blends including "Hearn Blend", together with cup-on type handy easy drip packs, which give much better taste than freeze dry type instant coffee.
Beans: Finca La Virgen
Roaster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting Degree: Medium
Region: La Laguna, Dipilto, Nueva Segovia
Nicaragua
Varietal: Caturra
Grade: SHG
Altitude: 1,250～1,300m
Processing: Wet-Process
【Impression】
Medium dark to dark body, aromatic, fully matured, dry fragrance with citrus, lemony aroma with a touch of floral sweetness, strong characteristics well balanced, high in dark chocolate acidity, rustic caramel and raw-maple sugar sweetness with roasted almonds w/o skin, cacao like bitterness, totally balanced flavor layered with acidity, sweetness and bitterness, lemony acidity followed by creamy sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste. Despite high tone lemony acidity in top note, creamy and delicate sweetness leaves soft impression.
For the very first ship, taste w/o cream and sugar. W/ a drop of high quality cream may reduce acidity and increase sweetness.
【Note】
Nueva Segovia is GOLD MINE for coffee lovers. This area is practically new, but one of high-profile growing region. Due to high altitude and blessed environments, this area fascinates more growers with the highest motivation to grow the finest coffee beans. There are many micro-lot farmers there presenting their coffee beans to COE and has received high evaluations.
Beans: Panama La Berlina Estate Special lot
Roaster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting degree: Medium Roast
Area: Rubengera, Horqueta, Boquete region,
Chiriqui Province, Panama
Altitude: 1,450m ～
Varietals: Bourbon, Typica
Grade: N/A
Processing method: Wet process(Washed)
【Impression】
Light to medium body, citrus lemony aroma with white grapes, clear transparent, airy texture, mellow, crisp, well-balanced sweetness and bitterness with clear thin layer of acidity on top, sweetness of roasted nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, tangy but flat acidity gradually growing, mellow watery sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
This cup is definitely for hand-drip, hot, w/o milk and sugar. Good pair with summer sweets like naturally sweetened bavarois and blancmange, something not heavy.
Once a cup chilled, sweetness and bitterness lay low and tangy acidity grows.
【Note: La Berlina Estate】
Located near Boquete, one of the finest coffee growing area of Panama, La Berlina has impressed the world coffee market sunce 90's. Coffee from this estate has won several prestagious awards, such as 1st place on Best of Panama, which made the name of Berlina well known. From organic to prestagious, La Berlina Estate satisfies and leads Panaman coffee world.
Talking Coffee beans has a well balanced deep flavor, moderate sweetness, with a mild citrus crispness in the cup. Hints of chocolate are present. Its finish is called "refined" by one coffee expert . Since La Berlina is one of the few estates still growing exclusively old Typica trees and not higher yield producing hybrids, this selection offers you a chance to experience the full flavor of old style coffee. It is perhaps, the quintessential Central American Cup.
Lovely treat from AKAIMI coffee!
Together with flavorful Kenya, same as last time, there are two new selection from fresh crop:
Panama: Finca La Berlina
Nicaragua: Finca La Virgen
Both Panama and Nicaragua are from Prize wining estate, Finca La Berlina and La Virgen. However, these beans are not taken from prize winning, auction lots but grown at prize wining estate. Does these have value? To be honest, we do not know until we cup them. There are millions estates in coffee growing region; some of them are well known and some of them are hidden, thus COE winners are appreciated with apparent in quality.
Prize winning lot gives unique flavor certainly, but it also price worthy as we all know very well. Unfortunately, not all of us identify the uniqueness in flavor, nor appreciate value of COE or any kind. In common market, Prize winning estate means the center of quality standard, which creates and heightens flavor, in general, "quality", of coffee beans. COE winning estate means mostly well managed estate and "special selection" or "selected" beans from these estates may satisfy coffee lovers soul and mind when they meet the finest roasters.
Beans: Summer Special Blend
Roaster: Akai-mi coffee
【Impression】
Medium Light to Medium body, orange flower like aroma, smooth gentle texture, well-balanced, hint of citrus acidity followed by mellow and moderate juicy sweetness as maple syrup, ripe gooseberries, gentle bitterness of cacao beans, crisp short lasting aftertaste. Light refreshing cup for summer morning, well-balanced sweetness and bitterness gives layered flavor depth, lemony acidity gradually grown beneath. Good for morning cup without sugar and milk.
Compared to 2011's summer blend, mellowness is increased. Syrupy, fruity sweetness grows more than bitterness as 2011's blend did. This increase impression of "Well-balanced" flavor more. A hint of lemony citrus acidity softly touches as a top flavor, mild/round pearly sweetness as a middle and base. Bitterness detected, but not as much as 2011's.
【Blending Beans...】
"Special Bend is experiment", the owner of Akai-mi coffee said. Seasonal Special blends gives different impression every year; Summer 2010 was high acid, 2011 bitter/bold, and 2012 mellow. 2011 flavor was more like Tanzanian, earthy and spicy flavor compared with 2012.
The beans differs every year: in terms of flavor, in terms of quality, in terms of cultivation and so on. Certainly, they are nature given gifts which affected by weather, soil, and so on. Hence, blending is the best tool to value/grade roasters technique.
"House blends" types are usually expected to be "same" or "stable", so blending beans to create same impression. "Seasonal Blends" are often the way to show "creativeness."
Blending is always based on creativeness and experiments, and so as roasting. Flavor can be categorized by varieties, regions and countries, but cupping is only and the best way to "see" the flavor of each beans. Maybe, Blending builds on experience and memories.
Beans: Rwanda
Roaster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting degree: Medium Roast
Area: Rubengera, Karongi-District, Western Province
Kopakaki Dutegure
Altitude: 1,500 ～ 1,700m
Varieties: Bourbon
Grade: N/A
Processing: Free washed
【Impression】
Medium dark to dark, full bodied, fruity citrus with hibiscus aroma with caramel like sweetness, complex flavor: lemony sourness, fragrant flavor of roasted almonds, barley malts like juicy deep sweetness with tropical fruits, mixed fruit-ness of oranges, grapefruits and papayas, a long lasting aftertaste with citrus sourness. Unique flavor, which even coffee lovers may have divided opinion. Mocha lover may like this high sourness level flavor. Serving sugar and milk varies flavor in the wide range, especially sugar makes it unique. One of the best for iced coffee, water blew.
Special care may be necessary for water temperature to hand-brew methods: sourness enhanced, extracted solely without harmonizing and sweetness suppressed originally, not extracted from the beans.
