Caramel and nutty with good balance. A touch of earth. Nicely within all bounds and would make a great cafe roast.

A very clean dark roast that has a touch of smokiness with lots of chocolate. Some citrus in the acidity. It's not over-the-top dark, which is what makes it work fo me. There's a good amount of natural sweetness, and a medium body.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover

This was a pretty interesting coffee, figgy, a bit lactic, a ton of different berry and citrus notes, plus both chocolate and black tea. V really liked it, which I thought was interesting because Kenyan is normally more my thing than hers. But I think this does drink a bit more like a Colombian in a lot of ways. I would not have guessed a washed Kenyan, that's for sure. But very enjoyable!

Cupping Method:Revolver Advent. Hario v60 pourover, 205 degrees F.

Super tasty medium dark roast espresso with blackberry, balanced acidity, dark chocolate, earthy, and roasted walnut. Could be a bit tart for some. Makes an incredible initial impression with a gorgeous crema.

Cupping Method:House espresso of 1369, a coffee shop in Central Sq. Cambridge MA

A nice fruity Burundi with a big hit of fruit mid-palate, strawberry and citrus. Definitely get a strongly brewed black tea in the background. There's some complexity and a lot of flavors going on. Just a touch of funk that I didn't mind as I've definitely been seeing with this year's Burundis, natural or washed. It's not quite even mouthfeel wise but it's a fun coffee roast overall.

Cupping Method:Green Kettle Advent. Hario v60 pourover at 203 degrees F.

This is a really nice washed Ethiopian with tons of fruitiness. I get blood orange and strawberry lemonade here. I'd like the acidity to linger a bit longer and finish a touch cleaner, but that's the tradeoff with the washed Ethiopians. More fruit, a touch of funk. It's ever so slight here and this is a very enjoyable coffee.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover

I get the fresh fig and vanilla here, then a blood orange/lemongrass. It's very tea like. The acidity is nice. This is a cool and unique coffee, not totally sure it's something I want every day.

Cupping Method:Side-by-side tasting with a Natural Ethiopian. 204C Hario v60

Well, fairly straightforward on the flavor spectrum this dark roast, but this is extremely smooth and easy to drink. The smokiness is only a touch. There is a lot of natural sweetness and a balanced acidity perhaps resembling blueberry.

Cupping Method:V60 pourover from Green Kettle Advent (#13)

I thought this was a very good dark roast. Very chocolatey, spice, a little bit of acidity. Good crema and nice mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Espresso only. Used my La Spaziale A53 at 95C

A tasty espresso that drinks as a medium at a cafe. European breakfast biscuit, chocolate, and a touch of blackberry. Massive crema and great mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:From a Nespresso Professional machine.

A lovely washed Ethiopian that sits on the usual black tea platform. This one has balanced acidity, for me dried apricot and bit of bergamot. It's very pleasant and easy to drink.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover. Comparison tasting with a Colombian from Great Minds in CT. Got this from the Revolver Advent Calendar.

Well executed classic Colombian with chocolate, citrus, and full bodied mouthfeel. Super smooth, no bitterness, and light but pleasant acidity.

Cupping Method:Green Kettle Advent #10

Heavy on the milk chocolate, immensely naturally sweet Ethiopian with no funk (despite being natural processed). Super smooth with low acidity. It doesn't have the florality or complexity you might expect from a natural Ethopiian but is a very smooth/easy drinker. A slight blueberry note gives it a touch of fruitiness.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover. Coffee #15 in the Revolver Advent Calendar.

I really enjoyed this coffee and it was as described on the coffee notes. It's grapefruit led but not in a bitter/rindy way. II picked up slightly savory notes, which could have been because it was made with a siphon which is pretty hot for a coffee this subtle. But overall it didn't feel overextracted.

But it was very smooth overall with a mid-palate hint of bergamot.

Cupping Method:Siphon at Turtle Beans in Bordentown, NJ

An even, very enjoyable coffee with black tea, peach, and caramel/honey notes. Smooth and subtle with some tropical aroma. While I'm describing it a little like a class Ethiopian it wasn't anything like that. The natural sweetness was the highlight.

Cupping Method:The roaster from Turtle Beans highlighted Makeworth as a favorite of his and made this for me.

Note that this review is for a one-pump so it's way less sweet.

I don't think this will be the most popular Starbucks seasonal drink...but gave it a shot.

So I tried out the Starbucks' Hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai at the Courtyard Marriott Starbucks kiosk in Hamilton Township, NJ, and it's a fantastic combination that I'd give 4.5 stars. It's worth noting that my review is based on the one-pump syrup version, which makes it notably less sweet, and that's just how I like it.

This drink brings together oat milk, chai, and gingerbread spice in a way that just works. The oat milk adds a creamy and slightly nutty dimension that pairs wonderfully with the aromatic chai spices. The gingerbread-flavored syrup provides a touch of sweetness and a festive twist to the mix. What really impresses me is how these elements complement each other, resulting in a well-balanced and satisfying beverage.

What made this experience even better was the pricejust $5, including a tip. It seems that this particular Courtyard Marriott Starbucks kiosk doesn't have seasonal drinks listed in their POS system, making it a pleasant surprise for customers looking to try something special without breaking the bank.

On Starbucks' 2023 holiday menu, you'll find the Hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai alongside the classic Gingerbread Latte. I opted for the grande size, and I appreciated the fact that it contained 100 mg of caffeine, providing a gentle energy boost.

To sum it up, if you're in the mood for a comforting and flavorful beverage that combines the richness of oat milk, the spiciness of chai, and the comforting notes of gingerbread, the Hot Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai is an excellent choice, especially if you come across it at a Courtyard Marriott Starbucks kiosk. Just remember to request it with one pump of syrup if you prefer a less sweet option. It's a delightful addition to Starbucks' holiday lineup, and I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try.

Cupping Method:At a Starbucks kiosk style location in the Courtyard Marriott in Hamilton Township, NJ

Not a ton of information for this as Hamilatte was using up a house roast that's not on the web anymore (or maybe has never been).

My receipt said Rafferty, and they confirmed the name of the blend. It was very hot when I got it but as it cooled it was quite nice to drink with hints of blueberry.

Nicely fruity medium breakfast blend as drip with a very clean finish. Thought it was really good and darn near chuggable at lukewarm.

Cupping Method:Drip to go after an espresso at the bar at Hamilatte in Hamilton Township, PA

A really nice espresso to work with in terms of milk drinks, and a very nice sipper.

This espresso has an incredible aroma. Crema is outrageous, and I definitely get the sweet cola syrup. Chocolate flavors are deep, a lot of natural sweetness, and a spot-on mid-palate turn towards bittersweet. A little earthy in a neutral way. I like the level of floral here.

Cupping Method:I drank espresso and made lattes for my wife. Extraction at 95 degrees, A53 Spaziale.

Blind tasting as part of the Leaderboard S12 game.

This was the most unique coffee the Leaderboard game this season, and really something I haven't seen before.

I got nutty, figgy, red apple, banana, and peach. So fruity and super funky. It has an incredible tropical aroma. It's a bit oddly structured and the mouthfeel is very different from your normal clean, fruity, black tea pourover. But I liked it.

Cupping Method:Chemex pour over

A light roast that doesn't much resemble most Mexicans I've had. Very light, fruity, and tropical. The roaster says guava and I can definitely see that. It's naturally sweet and tart. Unique and tasty.

I tasted this side-by-side with a Honduras SL28. I'd say this one was more fun and interesting and the Honduras is more the one I'd want to drink a lot of.

Cupping Method:Blind tasting, Hario v60

Whenever I hear SL28 I think Kenya for some reason. Lo and behold as I did the data entry it's a Honduras. It's very fruity with peach/apricot and black tea towards the back of the palate. Perhaps a touch of pineapple. A little bit reminicent of an Ethiopian actually. A tasty coffee that you could drink all day.

Cupping Method:Green Kettle Advent Calendar, Coffee #8. Hario v60 pourover. Something you could drink all day.

Straight chocolate, super smooth, low acidity. Drinks medium dark for me. Touch of smoke thats pleasant and more on the aroma.

Cupping Method:Green Kettle Advent Calendar, Hario v60 pourover. Comparison tasting vs a light roast Pink Bourbon

Oddball look lot with a very earthy almost cumin like nose. A unique coffee with very low acidity. I still got the cumin, earthiness, and a fruit like persimmon. I liked it but I'm a bit surprised this was a Panama coffee.

Smooth and light, cashew with chocolate linger. Nice lemony hint in the background. A touch of earthiness. Very nice to drink with a lot of natural sweetness. Too too complex but clean/smooth.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover

Big, beautiful beans, looked perfectly roasted.

Very fruity with notes of red berry, lemongrass, cranberry, brown sugar, and light hints of almond.

Cupping Method:Chemex

I really liked it as espresso - medium crema, dark chocolate, naturally sweet, caramel, floral, bergamot, blackberry.

As filter, got more red berry and black tea, with a touch of lemon/lime citrus. It was nice but not complex and a bit short on structure.

Cupping Method:Got both an espresso and filter bag of this in Leaderboard Season 12.

This was a very nice blend that I got on drip for a long car ride. It was light and smooth with a very nice natural sweetness. I definitely picked up the florals and peach from the Ethiopian component.

Cupping Method:From King Coffee in Manhattan

Had to dig back through the notes as I made this listing but must not have typed in the review. Notes are that this was super fruity and had a nice twinge of hibiscus.

Very tasty. Could be a bit acidic for some in the blackberry lime range. A lot of other nice flavors going on with chocolate and a bit of caramel. Clean finish leaving you wanting more.

Cupping Method:Espresso at King St in Manhattan

A super smooth Ethiopian. Thought roasted to medium (light medium?) it's still your trademark peach/black/tea Ethiopian with a lot of natural sweetness and a medium body.

Cupping Method:At Black Fox Coffee in New York, as part of their rotating filter coffee. It's made in a fairly large quantity at once from what I gather (not pourover).