Solid drip, no complaints. Light chocolate blend. A little bit of blackberry and fairly smooth. Balance is ok.

Cupping Method:Coffee Mill, Lowell, MA

Ok tap cold brew. Easy to drink. Fairly smooth. Similar to Dunkin bit of bitterness on the back end.

Cupping Method:Tap at Verrill Farm

Starbucks Nitro Cold brew is better than regular. Some might like it but I think the mid-palate of SB cold brew tastes a bit over roasted where nitro cuts that.

Almost super good, but a bit too bitter. Has complexity and a great nose0

Cupping Method:Espresso shot at Twisted Tree Decordova

I really struggled with this one, trying 3 different extraction approaches and techniques. I have had some pretty incredible experiences with Howell's high-end microlots (Yemen, Gesha), so this one was a disappointment. I am still coming to terms with this - it happened a decent amount in exploring wine but actually less so in coffee for me.

First off, let's just say, it's not terrible or undrinkable. It's OK. You can definitely pick up some of the mint/wintergreen notes in both the aroma and cup. I think lavender as well. So it's very unique. I think it has a persistent herbaceous/woodiness that is hard to get to get past and overwhelms the stronger characteristics. My wife felt the same way.

I also think it may have been slightly overroasted as it plays much more like a medium roast.

The score here is based on the fact that it's still a pretty solid cup of coffee at the end of the day, but just not worth the high-end price (I paid $59 for a 4 oz bag).

You can't win them all and George Howell has delivered me some of the best coffee experiences of my life. Have to call it how it is though.

Cupping Method:Hario v60, Chemex

OK low medium crema, a little bit bitter but smooth enough with a clean finish.

Cupping Method:Espresso at La Campania in Waltham, MA

Super satisfying sound when you crack one of these open.

These aren't bad but don't blow me away. Normally I'd like nitro cold brew the best out of the 4 drinks in the Lavazza sampler, but I actually liked this one the least (there were two sweetened lattes and the straight cold brew). I get a lot chocolate with a little bitterness mid-palate that overwhelms any fruitiness. Not quite the creamy/smooth I like with nitro.

Cupping Method:Can from 4 pack sampler, purchased from Eataly

Dunks has decent cold brew but its the rare case for me where the iced coffee is better.

A kind of uninteresting but easy to drink cold brew from Blue Bottle. Been on a run of canned cold brews recently and while Id be perfectly happy to drink this Id probably pick the other ones.

Cupping Method:8oz can I bought at Blue Bottle, Copley Sq

Not bad in my opinion. Though not super exciting, it always makes a nice crema. Drinkable, smooth, medium roast feel with good balance. Maybe a slightly metallic aftertaste.

Sampled multiple times as espresso and lungo using Delonghi Latissima 660.

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with this coffee. I think it extracts nicely and makes good cappuccinos and lattes. Always does well with crema. As a doppio drinker, I cant get away from just that slight hint of ashtray that overshadows the chocolate notes. I know this is one of the house blends at Blue Bottle and I always like my cortado there.

Cupping Method:Tasted at 94 celsius extraction, 1oz pull, La Spaziale A53 Lucca.

I dont have anything bad to say about this coffee, but it is fairly safe and comes at a price point where Id expect a bit more. As with a few other recent blends, Ethiopian and LatAm blend nicely. It has some nice hints of chocolate and a good acidic balance. Slightly more bitter lingering aftertaste than I like in my higher light roasts. In the espresso grind it makes a good drink, and for me it is markedly better than Peets dark roasts.

Angels Cup blind tasting. Aroma out of the bag and grind is amazing. Deep cocoa, warm spices, rich nuttiness. A lot of good characteristics in the cup. Black tea, cherry. But has a pretty strong bitter/woody note in the middle that persists in the aftertaste. Up to that moment youre blown away. Wife agreed.

Angel's Cup Blind Tasting. Was a little bit surprised to see this was from the same roaster we loved last week. Oh well. Just didn't quite come together here. Sort flat on acidity and not quite the structure. Wife felt the same way. Look for that Thai Doi Chang over this one if you want to try a great Thai coffee.

Modest hint of overroast or bitterness mid palate and aftertaste. Caramel and dark chocolate. Strong raspberry fruitiness. Not the best Howell roast IMHO.

Cupping Method:Pour over at George Howell Market location.

Solid cup of joe. Had it more times than I could count while consulting in an office.

Gorgeous crema, super fruity, a little bit too much acidity for me overwhelms some of the good characteristics. This looks like a Central American blend and they can definitely be acidic. Tons of flavor, so might have been a good Americano.

Cupping Method:Doppio, K Brew downtown

Has a nice black tea, Darjeeling character. Slight undertone of bitter wood. I was drinking Amaro last night and not totally dissimilar so not necessarily bad if you don't mind that. Other than that nice and balanced. Came in the Onyx Advent calendar which is a great way to try a lot of coffee from this great roaster but sometimes I feel like you're getting the tail end of a lot. Would have loved to have a few more beans to try this as an espresso since I got more of a medium roast here than a light/pourover one.

Blind tasting from Angel's cup. Super Smooth. A little short acidity/fruit for me but the low-acid folks might love this one. Interesting umami mid-palate, not so much as to be overwhelming bad adds a bit of character.

Hints of kiwi, caramel. Overall pretty different than of what Ive been drinking but very pleasant.

Wife thought alkaline (I think she meant low acidity).

Cupping Method:Hario v60 ceramic pourover, 207 degrees F

Totally fine, very dark.

Cupping Method:K-Cup

Nescafe Taster's Choice is a well-known name in instant coffee, often chosen for its convenience and quick preparation. It uses a freeze-drying process, a key part of why it stands out in the instant coffee market. Unlike other methods, freeze-drying involves removing moisture from brewed coffee at low temperatures, preserving much of the coffee's natural flavors and aromas.

One of the major benefits of Nescafe Taster's Choice is how easily it dissolves in water. There's no graininess or textural issues, making it a hassle-free option whether at home, at work, or on the go. You add hot water, stir, and your coffee is ready.

When freshly made with hot water, many find it almost unbearably bitter. This initial bitterness can be a turnoff for those who prefer a smoother, milder cup of coffee. Additionally, there is a slight chemical or rubbery mouthfeel, though it's not as pronounced as in some other instant coffees.

Interestingly, if you let the coffee cool down a bit, you'll notice a significant change. The bitterness fades, and the coffee develops a sweet, fruity flavor reminiscent of plums or prunes, with a nice touch of acidity. This makes it much more enjoyable as it cools, and it definitely beneits from ice or with a splash of milk to balance out the flavors. I think there's a bit of a saltiness/savory character.

That said, while Nescafe Taster's Choice is convenient and has its unique taste profile, it might not satisfy everyone, especially those used to specialty coffee. Specialty coffee is all about high-quality beans, careful roasting, and precise brewing methods that produce complex and rich flavors. These are aspects that instant coffee, despite its advances, often can't fully replicate.

I could see Nescafe Taster's Choice offers a quick, easy coffee solution with interesting flavor dynamics. It's fine for those who need a fast caffeine fix and don't really care about amazing flavor, or are just going to cover it up with milk and sugar. However, if you're a specialty coffee enthusiast looking for depth and complexity in every cup, there's no way this old classic will meet your expectations. Nescafe Taster's Choice has its place, but coffee, including convenience formats has come a long way.

Cupping Method:Mixed with hot water from standard jar that was opened fairly recently.

Non-descript coffee that's a disappointment for such a nice hotel, but probably on par with other crappy Marriott coffee. It's not so bad that it's not drinkable. Slightly nutty (faint cashew) without any richness or brightness. Slight grapefruit linger. Thin mouthfeel. Not horrible, just nothing to write home about.

There's a Starbucks in the lobby, so you can just go for that if desperate. It's not easy to get a good cup of coffee on the Vegas strip.

Cupping Method:I ordered room service (12 oz). The room service menu says it's Vdara House Blend. I assume it's Sysco or some food service conglomerate.

The decaf Nespresso Pro capsule was bust for me after the really good Forte capsule I had from the same machine. I don't think it was underextracted, but I might have gotten a batch that's stale.

The flavor was just a bit weak, without any standout characteristics and a hollow woodiness. The crema was pathetic. It almost tasted like mediocre filter coffee.

Cupping Method:At Vdara Spa in Las Vegas. I used the same machine for a forte capsule that was much better just an hour before.

Woody-tasting dark roast with some good smoky characteristics, good crema, and a decent acidic balance. Oily sheen. Slightly ashray-ish and woody though. Passable for dark roast lovers.

I had this as a K-cup at a meeting today and honestly thought it was kind of bad. I picked it because, as Starbucks, I thought it'd be the safest choice. It tastes bold and strong but actually doesn't have any of the earth and spice character that makes a darker roast Sumatran stand out. I poured it out and went with the Keurig Donut Shop option, which I thought was quite a bit better.

Cupping Method:K-Cup out of a standard Keurig (pictured right before it went in)

This is better than the decaf, which had a strong ashtray taste. This is smoky in a more muted way that doesnt overwhelm all the other flavor. Its balanced and has a nice mouthfeel. Chocolate, black walnut, and a touch of smoke are the main traits. Theres smoke on the aftertaste but in a pleasant way.

Cupping Method:K-Cup at a Courtyard Marriott in New York City

First off, let me state that I love Trader Joe's.

Now that we have that out of the way...

I think Trader's Joe's Cold Brew Black Coffee is notably bad with a bad aftertaste. I'm not really sure how to score it. It has some good attributes - it's not acidic. It's got a nice chocolate and some natural sweetness. It just...doesn't taste good for me, maybe a little bit chemically, maybe a bit woody/muddy in the mid-palate. Woody + muddy = swampy, which is how I think the mid-palate hits. I think that more acidity would help balance that out a bit.

This is pretty clearly a dark roast type coffee, but no clear expectation is set on the can, and that's a problem.

Cupping Method:I bought a cold brew can at Trader Joe's in Acton, MA, and drank it one week later.

Had a cup of decaf from the Einstein Bros at Boston University. Served so so hot. Has some smoky notes and a little acidity. I drink decaf for taste and it just is a bit off balance wise.

I don't think this is drinkable as straight espresso but it works with milk OK...but not good enough for me to order it over any coffee. I don't really know how to score it.

I really like the environmental principles here and gave this multiple shots, but the big thing for me is mouthfeel. It's somehow a bit sticky and thin at the same time, and I think it tastes off, like a one note, tart date forward pull.

Cupping Method:Espresso. Best was oat milk latte.