Toraja

Name: Toraja
Roaster:  Kasyu
Roasting degree: Medium Dark
Area: Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indnesia
      TOARCO TORAJA Plantation
Variety:  tim tim, typica 
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Altitude:900 -1,500m
Defect: N/A
Processing Method: N/A

【Note】
Queen of coffee!  Deep sweetness and chocolate flavor has been fascinating coffee buyers for a long time...   TOARCO TORAJA shows a long time domination of high quality beans by Japanese buyers.  

【Impression】
Medium, hickory, smokey, woody, clean, fresh tuned, juicy, cocoa, pure chocolate, lemon & orange with white grape, smooth, very sweet acidity as apricots, hint of nuts, fruity earthiness,  rich, low-toned acidity, lively mouth feel, a long lasting aftertaste of full layer of round sweetness followed by lively light acidity.

Seasonal Special Blend ~ Spring

Beans: Spring Special Blend 2013
Roaster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting degree: medium to medium dark 
                       ※After blending


【Impression】
Medium light to medium, light, smooth, clean, mild, fruity & flowery aroma of fresh apricots, almond flower, white grape, mellow sweetness bottomed with clear nutty bitterness and followed by a tint of grapefruits like sourness, sweetness of roasted macadamia and walnuts, well harmonized but simple, long lasting juicy sweetness as after taste.

Santa Catarina ~ Morango

Name: Santa Catarina Morango
Roaster:  Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting degree: Medium
Area: Manhuaçu, Minas Gerais, Matas de Minas, Brazil
      Fazenda Santa Catarina
Variety: Catuai
Grade: N/A
Screen: 16 - 18
Altitude:1870 - 1,000m
Defect: N/A
Processing Method: Pulped Natural

【Impression】
Light to Medium, fruity, nutty, strawberry top note(!), vermouth cassis, hazelnuts, cocoa, white wine, light  texture, clear, well balanced, sweetness of maple syrup, milk chocolate, freshness of fruits, soothing acidity, a touch of blood orange, bitterness as cacao nib, clean natural sweetness with cacao bitterness as a long lasting after taste.  Once cup cool down, dark chocolate like bitterness stands out which bottomed with cassis fruitiness.


【Note】Santa Catarina Morango is the product of chance.  Vicente de Faria, the owner of Santa Catarina, owns six estates, total 160ha, and regular in COE Brazil.  Flavor of agricultural products varies and so does "Morango".  In 2013, Morango was found in Fazenda Santa Catarina, but this may not meet "Morango" quality, clear sweetness and strawberry flavor. 

Kobai ~ Spring blend

Beans: Kobai（紅梅） 
          Seasonal Blend～After Blend
Roaster: Kasyu

【Impression】
Medium dark to dark, mellow, nutty, fresh apricot, matured plum, peach, light texture, dark chocolate, sweetness of fresh fruits, boiled red barley, roasted nuts, cashews, almonds, touch of orange, a long lasting after taste of bitterness and sweetness, juicy sweetness gradually grows. 

【Note】
Fresh roasted batch may brings "handy&easy" morning coffee with a coffee machine.  Kasyu always gives antique names to their blend coffees, some of which are named after "The Tale of Genii" written in the 11th Century.  Their flavor does not cue any line of the story but the names somewhat successfully add elegance to their image.

Guatemala

Beans: Guatemala
Roaster: Okino Coffee

Organically grown
Imported individually   

【Impression】
Medium body, light, clear, transparent, lightly scented with orange peel and almond flower, fresh plum, mellow, balanced, rich, cocoa, chestnuts, almonds, layer of maple sugar like sweetness, a touch of shady bitterness, a long lasting aftertaste of mellow sweetness.
Unlike visual of the beans, cups has no tangy bitterness, acid stimulation detected.  Very clear but fulfilled flavor.  
Enjoyable even for non coffee lover.  May enjoy like a cup of bancha tea. 

【Note】 
Coffee is all about "Balance" and "Concatenation".  Regarding "Concatenation", it starts with environments, such as weather, water, soil, farming, cultivation, processing and so on, then continues to roasting and extraction.  This Guatemala shows its pureness in flavor without tangy acidity in bitterness which often detected in "Guatemalan mid dark roast".  Art of roasting, maybe magic of roasting, may enhance beans flavor/uniqueness fully. 

Colombia Maragogipe

Beans: Colombia Maragogipe
Roaster: Kashu
Roasting Grade: Full city

Here is my favorite coffee from daily, friendly choices.

Is this specialty coffee?  Is this single origin??  Is this from COE winning farm?

I do not know and I do not bother to ask those questions, because I know how good they are.

They select wonderful beans, so called “premium beans”, all over the world and always offer freshly roasted.  They also carry 2 to 3 seasonal offer of single beans, together with their regular selections, both blends and single beans.  Maragogipe is one of regular selections, which has clear fine taste with light silky body, and dark cacao like bitterness/sweetness with a touch of yuzu-citrus like sourness. 

Maragogipe, also called "elephant bean", is a variety of Arabica which produces extreme large size beans.  As picture shown, Maragogipe has almost three times bigger than usual coffee beans, but has rich and dense flavor.  Due to the size, roasting is often "challenge" for the roasters.  Flavor of coffee always depends on roasting and this beans show it more obvious.  If your favorite roaster has Maragogipe, maybe it is the one to try.    

Ruvuma AAA

Beans: Ruvuma AAA
Raoster: Akai-mi coffee
Roasting Degree: Medium
Area:  Ruvuma Region, Mbinga, Tanzania
Altitude: 1,200 -1,800m
Varieties: Burbon（N5,N39）
Processing: Fully-washed
Screen: 18 up
Grade: AAA 

【Impression】
Micro size, tiny bitty beans!  Assuming the Bourbon variety. 
Sweet and round aroma, Medium body with lightness, clear lemony acidity layers over earthy bitterness with sour-bitter aftertaste.  Nothing similar to any other Tanzanian Coffee I have ever tasted...
Well harmonized flavor and aroma, Acidity comes first and  stays to the end.