Complex chocolate driven espresso with a lot of acidity and complexity. Some midpalate earthiness. Tamarind 3/4 of the way through. Medium looking but light drinking crema where a bit more might have helped. Between a 4 and 4.5 for me so I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

Cupping Method:Shot of espresso at the McGill cafe

Quite an interesting decaf. Tamarind, hibiscus, blackberry, earthy finish, lovely natural sweetness. Very dark, lightly sweetened chocolate linger. Medium light but sticky crema.

Cupping Method:Decaf espresso at Marche St. Laurent in Place de Armes, Old Montreal

Nice full-bodied blend with nice chocolate flavor and excellent balance. Tinge of strawberry / blackberry balances a nice light nuttiness.

Cupping Method:Iced Americano at Cafe Des Artes in Montreal

Earthy, slightly nutty, jammy espresso with a lot going on. Chocolate, raspberry, spiced pear, earthy, molasses, roasted walnut. Long chocolate linger. Crema was a little thin and that would have helped with mouthfeel.

Definitely unique from espresso I've recently had in terms of flavors. Haven't seen too much Burundi coffee in espresso blends!

Cupping Method:At Cafe L'Orbite in Montreal, an artsy cafe that service Cafe Pista.

Grading this as something that means expectations rather than is great specialty coffee. Appealing aroma. Nice nuttiness and smokiness. Tastes a bit like an Americano made with a standard Italian espresso.

Cupping Method:K-cup on a higher end machine

A very tasty decaf espresso shockingly out of a hotel bean-to-cup machine. Sticky persistent crema. Deep chocolate flavor: nutty and earthy mid-palate. Nicely balanced. More chocolate on the finish.

Cupping Method:It was in the bean-to-cup automatic espresso machine at the Delta Marriott Montreal.

Chocolate, orange, some natural sweetness. A well-executed version of the type of coffee everyone drank 10 years ago, or a Christmas coffee. A little hint of that chocolate orange. A bit of trailing hops.

Cupping Method:V60 - bought the bag at IGA. Much better than the Lavazza Qualita Rossa we tasted it against.

Toothy, well-executed dark roast espresso with good balanced and flavor. Chocolate, smoke and spice. Sticky medium crema. Some toasted walnut. Nice lingering chocolate finish with raisin, blackberry and molasses.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Cafe Mousse in Baie-Saint-Paul

Fruity, satisfying chilled coffee with bright green apple and strawberry acidity. Some chocolate and slight nuttiness but more light and fruit forward. Lemonhead candy finish.

Cupping Method:Bought this can after a good hike at the Parc National Des Grands-Jardins!

Nice slightly earthy espresso blend, walnut. A bit complex and wine like. Long, long chocolate linger. Nice medium sticky crema that helps mouthfeel and adds a slight creaminess. Good depth of flavor.

Cupping Method:At Brulerie Rousseau in Latin Quarter Quebec City

Well-balanced espresso with good depth of flavor. Acidity is bright and balanced, with notes of chocolate, blackberry, and roasted hazelnut. Medium crema, a bit less sticky than I like it. Tamarind in the finish.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Concept Bala in Quebec City.

Slightly earthy, complex, slightly funky, blackberry, purple grape. Medium sticky crema. A fun one.

Cupping Method:Fantome popup at Exmuro exhibit in Old Quebec City. Tried as straight espresso.

Complex blackberry, floral, tart shot with a heavy body and medium crema. Well balanced for a lighter espresso.

Cupping Method:Faux Movement in Quebec City was serving this as their standalone espresso. Also using a slightly darker medium Brazilian for milk drinks.

Not sure if this is a chain (later correction: a single cafe that serves direct-trade coffee from Nicaragua)

Filter coffee here was this is a silky, smooth, and fruity natural from a farm in Nicaragua. This filter roast has the acidity many Nicaraguans I've had recently lack. Ripe blackberry is a good description of the acidity. There is a ton of natural sweetness in the brown sugar range. There's a slight funky/chocolate note and a very balanced, clean finish. This is a really good filter cafe.

Cupping Method:Filter at Cafe St. Louis in Quebec City (near aquarium)

As advertised, a silky smooth and fruity natural that has the acidity many Nicaraguans I've had recently lack. I think ripe blackberry is a good description of the acidity. There is a ton of natural sweetness in the brown sugar range. There's a slight funky/chocolate note, and a very balanced clean finish. A really good filter cafe.

Cupping Method:Filter coffee at Cafe St. Louis in Quebec

Clean light/medium cold brew with a bright note of citrus acidity (valencia orange?).

A hint of brown sugar. Very balanced and easy to drink.

Cupping Method:I got this cup at the deTerroir store on Rue St. Jean in Quebec, with one of their fantastic croffles and caramel.

Cantook Decaf. chocolate. Medium crema. Plum, pepper, black cherry…pepper hits 3/4 of the way through. Very satisfying night cap. Wasn't going to have one until I saw this small cafe.

Cupping Method:Espresso at 1884 Cafe near the Chateau Frontenac

This Te al Limone Caffitaly capsule extracts quite well and tastes like a very nice cup of home made honey lemon tea.

Tastes very natural and just like how I would make it at home. It's not totally clear that this capsule is sweetened on the website and definitely not on the capsule. There was a little bit of foam that made me nervous (pictured) but doesn't taste weird or unnatural at all.

I rarely drink sweetened drinks of any type, however, this was good enough for me to drink the whole thing!

Cupping Method:Caffitaly capsule/machine in a hotel in Quebec City. Of course this is not coffee but since it came from the Caffitaly system I thought it was worth documenting.

Tasty, very rich darker espresso with deep chocolate notes, roasted nut, and slight smoke/spice character. Goes very well with milk.

Cupping Method:I tried to order an iced coffee at Brulerie St. Jean location, and I got an iced latte. I could taste the espresso pretty clearly when it came out. You can take this as a review of their latte glace.

Cafes Spalanzan Gran Crema espresso blend offers a very good experience with its deep chocolate character nicely paired with notes of blackberry. The complexity of the taste profile unfolds gradually, with a lingering hazelnut nuance that is rich and refined. The medium-dark roast brings out the best of the beans without venturing into unpleasant bitterness, making each sip a delight. The subtle smokiness adds depth, while a hint of spice keeps the palate intrigued and satisfied.

The espresso's character is defined by its balance and richness, making it an excellent choice for those who appreciate a nuanced and sophisticated cup. The deep chocolate and blackberry combination creates a robust and fruity flavor, while the lingering hazelnut provides a smooth finish that is both comforting and satisfying. Goes very well pastries.

Cupping Method:At Les Vraies Richesses patisserie in Sherbrooke, Quebec

The All Seasons Espresso blend from Grand Rapids, MI roaster Sparrows offers a lush and sticky crema, complemented by bright notes of orange tangerine and a pleasant bergamot overtone.

It boasts a natural sweetness reminiscent of milk chocolate, with blackberry undertones and a lingering, slightly bittersweet dark chocolate finish.

Overall, it's a well-balanced blend with solid depth in its flavor notes, befitting of a versatile "all-season" cafe blend.

Also wanted to call out that this was $15.75 on Trade for a 310g bag - those are usually $19, so pretty good value here.

Cupping Method:I made espressos and lungos, and I also enjoyed some of my wife's hot and iced lattes.

A very nicely balanced roast that excelled as nitro cold brew. Mostly chocolate with a touch of blackberry acidity, the creaminess of the nitro created a nice balance.

All in all a good showing for NCR House roasts we tracked down across the island.

Cupping Method:From Millie's Market in Madaket, Nantucket

This is quite a good cup of coffee. It's balanced, smooth, and has some nice nutty/earthiness with a clean citrus undertone.

Cupping Method:Stepped bag I bought from the Jaho location in Chinatown Boston. The steeping might have actually helped accentual the lighter tones and brought out some fruitiness.

I had a Doppio of this today and I thought it was great. Similar structurally to another NCR espresso I had last week. It's balanced and has really bright acidity in the blackberry range. This felt a bit more floral with a bit more forward palate chocolate. A sticky medium crema and nice mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Roasted General Store double espresso

I don't really know exactly what this coffee is as I can't read Chinese.

I've seen this steeped format in the US with a few different brands, notably Kuju. I had to try again because my first mug was too high walled and I had to use too much water to get a proper steep.

The second time was the charm, although the extraction was still pretty light despite a long steep.

The coffee has a lovely peachy/apricot aroma when you open the package, notably sweet and fruity. There's no identifying information origin wise, but the translation below says "Gesha Village Blend". Gesha Village is a somewhat large estate in Ethiopia, and the peachy/fruity/tea notes here line up with that.

The coffee itself has quite a bit of natural sweetness and excellent body for a steeped. There's strawberry, apricot, and iced tea notes. It's a simple, very clean, low complexity, sweet finish with a touch of honey. This is one of the better instant formats I've seen for a light roast once you work through how to use the steeper.

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I translated the directions on the back.

Tear Off
Tear off the top of the drip coffee bag along the dotted line.

Open
Pull the handles of the bag to open it wide.

Pour
Slowly pour hot water (around 92°C / 198°F) over the coffee grounds. Use about 180-200 ml of water.

Brew
Let the coffee steep and drip into your cup.

The small print at the bottom indicates:

This product is best consumed fresh after opening.
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
The label on the top right appears to be a product label with specific information about the coffee blend, possibly "Gesha Village Coffee".

Cupping Method:My mom's friend brought these back from Taiwan. I tried to follow the instructions the best I could but I did use hotter water.

Nantucket Coffee Roasters' special espresso blend for ROASTD General Store in Nantucket was surprisingly good! The highlight was complexity and bright acidity. Its highlights are blackberry and pecan flavors, which come together mid-palate with subtle hint of bergamot florality. This unique blend drinks like a medium espresso with more acidity. The medium crema is smooth and persistent, enhancing the overall texture and enjoyment of the espresso.

While the chocolate notes could benefit from a touch more depth, this minor critique does little to detract from the overall quality of the blend. Love that this espresso is USDA organic.

I think this organic blend is only available at ROASTD, which makes it a go-to place for this little island!

Cupping Method:Double espresso at ROASTD General Store in Nantucket MA. I also took the picture of the bag at the store.

It's incredibly sweet with acidity that intensifies significantly as it cools. There's a lot of umami here and a pretty strong hint of tomato. It washes out the usual pink bourbon florality except a late bit of florality/funk. That said it's pretty tasty overall and has a really nice mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Hario v60, 18:1, 196F

A really good can of nitro cold brew.

You can tell these are quality, Colombian beans that would be suitable for a good pourover or Kyoto drip at a good coffee shop. And organic/direct-trade to boot.

I would take a little bit more creaminess/nitro in a cold brew. But this is smooth and balanced with a bright citrus/blackberry acidity. For a specialty coffee drinker, it's miles better than the usual supermarket cans.

Definitely looking forward to trying more from Slingshot!

Cupping Method:I paid $3.49 for it at Concord Market, in Concord, MA and drank it 2 days later.

This Kenyan roast offers delightful fruity notes, with red currant and blackberry being the most prominent.

Mid-palate, there's a hint of grapefruit, reminiscent of ruby red grapefruit sprinkled with a touch of brown sugar, which complements the coffee's natural sweetness. The tea background is subtle and doesn't overshadow the vibrant fruitiness. The finish is light and lemony, leaving a refreshing aftertaste.

Cupping Method:Complex filter coffee at Revival Kitchen in Lexington, MA

Today this clean, easy-to-drink natural Ethiopian coffee that left a greatimpression. Its fruitiness was more pronounced than the funk typically associated with natural processes, almost giving it the clarity of a washed coffee. The flavor profile included delightful notes of strawberry, white grape, lavender, and bergamot. The acidity added a touch of brightness, making it a well-rounded cup. The florality was on the subtle side.

While this coffee was close to a perfect score for me, it was narrowly edged out by another Ethiopian roast I tried the same day from Intelligentsia. The latter had an even greater clarity and brightness that I found particularly appealing. Nonetheless, this natural Ethiopian was an exceptional brew, showcasing the beautiful complexities of its origin.

Cupping Method:Pourover at Clover Food Labs in Harvard Square, Tasting notes attached.