Roaster's Tasting Notes: Berry Hard Candies / Ripe Strawberry / Green Apple / Jasmine
Process: Natural
Varieties: Heirloom
Roast Date: march 6th
340g / 12oz
duck-rabbit is located in Cleveland, Ohio
From duck-rabbit
This coffee comes from Tariku Mengesha. Tariku has a few small farms scattered throughout the kebele of Chelchele in southwestern Ethiopia. Growing altitudes on his farms are very high at 2,020 to 2,100 meters above sea level. High growing altitudes slows the maturation of the coffee seeds and increases their density. Denser seeds can lead to sweater and brighter cups, which certainly seems to be the case with this coffee.
Another factor at play with this, quite frankly, bonkers lot is that it is a natural processed coffee. With natural (or dry) processed coffees the whole coffee is laid out to dry. So, unlike washed (or wet) processed coffee where the skin and fruit is removed prior to drying, in the natural process the seed dries within the fruit as it ferments and dries around it. Once the seed is dry it is removed from the dry, leathery fruit. Natural processed coffees can be intensely fruited, big bodied, and offer more rounded acidity than their washed counterparts. The process is also, however, prone to generating more flavor taints, defects, and inconsistencies, so great care must be taken in order to produce exceptional lots.
It is apparent in the quality of this cup that great care was taken. The cup is outstanding. It is wild, fruited, complex, and intensely aromatic. Fruited flavors like berry hard candies, floral blueberry, strawberry, and blackberry abound, but also found are fruited impressions like green apple, orange, and banana. Accents of jasmine-like florals adds to the complexity and provides us with another thing in this cup to ponder and enjoy.
