Smooth and chocolatey cold brew, with a very slight citrus, hint and a bit of smoke. The chocolate is the strongest characteristic and it's present throughout. It's fairly smooth, and the ice mellowed out a little bit of the smokiness that I thought was too strong that the beginning for me.

Cupping Method:Ordered a cold brew of the road at Pour City and drank in the car. This roast wasn't listed, but they told me it was a Peru medium that they used for the cold brew. I got it with ice and I thought it was better once the ice melted a bit.

Guiben, a region in Yunnan province, China, is known for its coffee production, though it's more famous for high-quality teas. Its ideal climate, altitude, and rich biodiversity make it a great spot for growing coffee. I'm Chinese, so it's always fun for me to try new coffee from this region.

As per Rabbit Hole, it's well-sourced and I think the farmers get a premium which is great for stimulating coffee production in the region. I have to stick to my system here which is to focus on the taste of the coffee. I like this as an easy drinker, but I don't get a standout characteristic here. It was a bit pricy for that. I get a slightly nutty tea front and mid-palate, very smooth. I definitely picked up the goji berry, which I like for its uniqueness, but it needs one more bright note of acidity. I do think the overall acidity is. It has honey sweetness with a slight sugar cane note.

Cupping Method:I got a 100g bag of this (sampler) from Rabbit Hole. 20g @ 200F (a bit hotter than normal), 18:1 ratio, v60

I liked this cafe in Worcester a lot in terms of the overall experience. I don't think I'd necessarily drive out of the way for this coffee, but it's pretty typical fresh-roasted Nicaraguan coffee that I've been seeing pop up increasingly. The store is pleasant and a great place to sit down and do some work.

It has a huge nutty/earthy hit early in the palate then a clean citrus acidity. The sweetness is definitively caramel. There's a little bit of smoke that some will like but I'm not in love with here (but didn't ding them score wise for that). A big bright note of acidity mid or late palate here would be a huge difference maker for this one, IMHO.

Cupping Method:Iced at the Cafe Brilla store in Holden, MA. Barista told me it was the Cafe Diego.

This Recreo cold brew from Travelmug Cafe was solid.

They had 5 pound Recreo bags with “cold brew” labels so assuming this is a specific roast for that. I didn't see it previously in the Recreo store and can't find it on the website. This is smooth with an an earthy and nutty mid-palate. Slight caramel overtones. The linger is lightly earthy. I'd take more some sweetness and acidic brightness.

It's a little bit different from the raft of the usual cold brew. I've been drinking. It's not what I would regularly want but I like it.

Cupping Method:At Travelmug Cafe, Boston waterfront. Cold brew served with ice.

Split a can of this with my wife in the car today. She hated it but I thought it was ok. It drinks more medium roast to us as light roast drinkers.

It's a bit chocolate and there is some red berry and citrus acidity that has solid brightness. Mouthfeel wise it's not quite the rich and creaminess I want with a nitro cold brew. But it's convenient and solid overall.

Cupping Method:Bought the can at Concord Market (pictured), drank in car the next day.

A solid espresso, earthy nutty, smooth with nice mouthfeel. It's a bit low on acidity and the depth of flavors is good but could be deeper.

Cupping Method:At Dave's shop in Charleston RI

I tried the coffee two ways, as espresso and pourover.

The Purity Coffee Ease blend delivers solid performance as an espresso. It features the typical dark roast characteristics—rich chocolate with a slight smokiness, all backed by a solid crema. The midpalate brings forward notes of cherry with a subtle oakiness, which, rather than overwhelming the flavor, adds an interesting layer. The finish is clean, leaving a lingering chocolate sweetness that's natural and not overly pronounced.

Despite the marketing around "digestive ease," I didn't particularly notice any digestive benefits, lol. The blend is said to be low in acidity as I think the beans are coming from lower acidity national origins. Basically, turning the weakness of those beans, usually lacking flavor into a marketing strength. Since my day job is this a marketer I admire it.

The cherry acidity in the espresso is quite bright and a pleasant surprise. However, it's not overwhelming and should be manageable for most coffee drinkers.

As a filter coffee, the character shifts slightly, revealing more nutty flavors, particularly in the walnut range, while maintaining that core chocolate profile. A hint of black cherry adds a touch of fruitiness that complements the overall flavor. The cherry acidity isn't as bright here and I think it needs more.

I found four or five quakers in the lot, which were easy to spot and remove. My scoring here reflects that I removed them and didn't deduct any points for their presence. I felt this coffee was a 4.0 grade and don't think a few quakers would have affected that. However, quality control could be something to keep an eye on here.

Purity Coffee's Ease blend is a solid, versatile omniroast. It's the type that is handy to have around, especially if you enjoy a dark roast that works well across different brewing methods (for me that's hosting guests). While I suspect digestive ease claims may be a bit overstated, this is a solid dark roast.

Cupping Method:Not something I would normally buy, but Friend was given a bag and asked me to grind it for them and gave me 50 g

At first, I wasn't sure what to think of this coffee. My mom loves it, but that first sip had me wondering if our tastes are that different. It was pretty bitter, and the smell had a bit of a burnt note when it was hot. I wasn't sold right away, but I kept drinking it as I headed out for a trail run in the car, and I ended up finishing the cup.

As it cooled down, the flavors started to shift. The bitterness eased up, and it reminded me of an old-school Colombian Supremo—medium-dark with a nice acidity that had some orange citrus notes. There was a bit of smoke and a subtle spice, which added some depth without being overpowering. I also picked up a slight nuttiness, kind of like walnuts, and a hint of sage that I didn't expect but found pretty enjoyable.

In the end, it turned out better than I first thought. What seemed like a rough start turned into a decent cup with a mix of flavors that kept me interested. Sometimes, it just takes a little time for a coffee to show you what it's really about.

Cupping Method:My mom gave me a couple of sticks and I made it at 197F for this test.

Very smooth decaf with light natural sweetness. Milk chocolate. Slightly nutty midpalate, maybe peanut. No bitterness. No single standout character but something pleasant one could drink all day.

Cupping Method:At Farmer and Fork at Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston, MA. Had the decaf while waiting for them to make a fresh pot of regular.

This is a solid Colombian from Tandem that I couldn't get to be great/spectacular despite a number of different approaches.

It has a nice balance, mouthfeel, and natural sweetness. I would compare its overall flavor profile to a mulled cider. It's smooth and finish clean. There's red apple and spice for sure.

I think the thing I couldn't make disappear was a note that I would say is almost like the skin of a red apple. So the apple's there but so's the slightly bitter skin. I think that's OK with an actual apple, given how much sweeter it is. Here's it's a slight detractor. Given how good the Colombians are from top roasters these days I couldn't score this above a 4.0.

Cupping Method:I bought this coffee at the Tandem store and made it a lot of different ways, including camp coffee, pourover v60 and Chemex, and espresso.

One of the first Brandywine's for me that didn't really pop. It was smooth and had good balance. Maybe not my favorite profile, and batch drip may not have brought everything out. Nice mouthfeel and natural sweetness. I get the cherry and some citrus. I'd take a bit more brightness in the acidity. Cherry lovers will like this but not as much as say, Intrinsic Cherry (another Brandywine roast).

Cupping Method:Drip at Revival Kitchen in Lexington, MA

A solid espresso that doesn't quite come together for me. It pulls a nice crema, medium with persistance. The chocolate note is bitter sweet and a little short on clarity. I'd like a little more brightness in the sweetness/acidity.

It's quite raw walnutty on the finish and linger, a bit too much for me. I realize this seems a bit negative, and I don't mean it that way. It's a solid espresso and it's more than I thought it was close to being really good.

My friends gifted me AmazonFresh Colombia Medium Roast as a pseudo-joke, as they were heading out of town for a month and also dropping off 2 gallons of milk they'd forgotten to cancel. The value brand Amazon coffee, pre-ground and open for about two weeks, still offered a surprisingly solid experience.

I try to be fair to big brands and just taste things as they come. They are rarely amazing but usually not terrible. This one's solid. It's a not bad interpretation of the old skool Colombia Supremo profile, with a lively acidity and a notable chocolate-orange note. Think Juan Valdez, ha ha!

The rich and deep chocolate aspect adds a satisfying dimension to the cup, while the citrusy undertone complements it nicely. The acidity is well-structured, clean, and crisp, enhancing the overall brightness without overwhelming the palate. Despite not being at its freshest, this coffee provides a well-rounded and enjoyable experience, making it a solid choice for those who enjoy a bright and flavorful medium roast. I don't think I'd seek this out, but I wouldn't complain about it if I got it at a muffin shop. Given it's pretty inexpensive, I'll score it a 4 here (I usually give decent hotel coffee a 3.5).

Cupping Method:Pourover v60, 18:1, 196F.

I missed putting this one in but actually had a little left today. Re-cupping didn't change my opinion. It's a clean cup with a nice mouthfeel. Chocolate, honey, and a slightly hoppiness. A good one one to have around for desserts as it's pretty neutral, but missing acidity and brightness to make it standout (which I find common with decaf).

Catching up on reviews as we were driving through Concord to Quebec. V thought her iced coffee was just ok. I agree. Needed a brighter acidic note to go with the chocolate.

Local artisan style roast that has nice natural sweetness and smoothness. It has some black cherry notes, and is slightly oaky. It's not my favorite style of roast, and could use some bright acidity but easy to drink and satisfying.

Cupping Method:At Farmer's Market in Concord, NH

As far as I can tell the silver one is just called “Espresso”.

This one has a very nice aroma and crema. smells almost like a chocolate espresso cake right after you make it. It's just OK in the cup. everything you would expect from an Italian style espresso is there. it's not bitter. It's just a tad short on the complexity and depth of flavor.

Cupping Method:Short espresso in Delonghi 660

For a medium roast espresso, this is smooth, milk chocolate, and has a slight orange and nutty hint. The crema was a bit weak. It is pretty non-descript, but not bitter and easy to drink for a quick caffiene hit.

Cupping Method:I only had a single Bestpresso capsule of this type (I brought it back from a hotel in Quebec City and had it at home).

This espresso was rock solid and comparable to the dark roast ristretto from the capsule. It doesn't jump out on any front, but it extracts well. It leads with dark chocolate and then has some complexity with a smoky flavor. The crema was a bit light-medium for this espresso but it wasn't so bitter it needed the crema to save the mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Espresso in my Delonghi 660

I thought this was fun and pretty tasty. I rarely do flavored drinks but I love malt.

Once the ice melted a bit it tasted like a malted milk. Only think I didn't like was a sort of funky, persistent aftertaste.

Cupping Method:It was a special at the Tandem shop on Congress Street in Portland.

Nicely balanced with chocolate lead and a light mid-palate earthy hit. Kick of spice is the highlight. Could use some acidity or fruitiness but does the dark roast side well.

They were out of cold, so I got an iced Americano here. Cute quirky café with a friendly barista. Americano was solid but a little bit lacking fruitiness and acidity.

Actually look like it had a great crema after they made it. Little bit citrus and slight caramel nuts but primarily milk chocolate.

Cupping Method:Iced Americano at Pigeon Espresso Bar near Montreal Museum of Art

Nescafe Espresso starts with a pleasant mix of chocolate and a hint of smokiness.

When it comes to taste, Nescafe Espresso is pretty solid and balanced. The first sip reveals a well-structured flavor profile with some distinct layers.

Dark chocolate forms the base, enhanced by a slight smokiness and a delicate hint of blackberry. This combination creates a surprisingly complex and enjoyable cup, especially for a value category coffee.

One area where Nescafe Espresso falls short is its crema. The crema, the creamy foam that typically tops an espresso, is neutral and somewhat weak here. For many espresso lovers, a good crema is essential, adding to the richness and texture of the drink. Unfortunately, Nescafe Espresso doesn't quite deliver on this front. It's not an issue with the brewing equipment either; using a bean-to-cup machine at the Marriott Delta Montreal's Club lounge, I had a decaf espresso that produced an excellent crema, indicating that the weak crema in Nescafe Espresso is likely a characteristic of the product itself.

Despite the crema issue, Nescafe Espresso impresses with its flavor depth and structure for an inexpensive big brand coffee. The blend of chocolate, smoke, and blackberry notes makes for a satisfying drink. While it might not match the quality of a freshly brewed espresso from a high-end machine and true 3rd wave roaster, it's a solid option for those looking for a flavorful espresso experience.

Nescafe Espresso is a good choice for everyday coffee drinkers who appreciate a complex flavor profile but can overlook the lack of a robust crema.

Cupping Method:I took a picture of the bag that they filled the bean to cup machine with.

Clean, nicely structured coffee. Plum and milk chocolate are the prominent notes. Smooth, clean finish. Low-ish complexity.

I've definitely had Onyx's Southern Weather before but didn't take notes on it. I was actually surprised when a couple of our top reviewers actually wrote super strong reviews for it. I think it's solid but not amazing.

Cupping Method:At Starship Bagels by the Dallas Eye was the most recent

A decent cup of hotel decaf coffee. Certainly a lot better than the house label ones I've been seeing at Marriott recently.

This is a very smooth coffee that that's a little bit nutty and naturally sweet. It's not complex and lacks a standout characteristic, but it's enjoyable and goes well with a bit of chocolate, or on its own doing some evening emailing. Your non-specialty coffee medium roast drinker might find this a bit light.

Cupping Method:Filter out of a coffee dripper. The Mint House in Dallas gave me 4(?) packs of 4 cuppers for a 2 night stay.

Nicely balanced with chocolate lead and a light mid-palate earthy hit. Kick of spice is the highlight. Could use some acidity or fruitiness but does the dark roast side well.

Cupping Method:Iced coffee at Krema Cafe in the Montreal Fairmont.

Straightforward dark roast, Italian style espresso. Massive sticky crema that helps with mouthfeel. A little spicy, pretty smoky. Strong with a manageable wave of bitterness. Good finish with chocolate linger.

Cupping Method:Espresso at the Brulerie Charlevoix shop in La Malbaie

I tried my wife's latte first hot at the Brulerie, and then on the drive from Quebec City to Charlevoix. I liked the initial flavor but espresso didn't quite kick in the flavor I wanted on the last third. Not bad but had a lot of standout espressos with milk this week in Quebec.

Dark, flavorful Italian style espresso with a nice crema. Dark chocolate and amoky notes. It's got a bit of an aftertaste

Cupping Method:At Tutto Gelato in Quebec City.

Appealing aroma upon extraction. Medium looking crema that's pretty persistent. The crema is not as fluffy as some you see. A pleasant walnut note. Depth of flavors is solid. Light raisin/prune acidity that would benefit from some more brightness/complexity. Clean linger that's lightly milk chocolate. Very convenient and fast, you have to say!

Cupping Method:There was a Caffitaly machine and 2 Cremoso pods at the hotel I was staying at in Quebec. It's been years since I've seen one of these systems.