I've honestly been a little bit shocked by the quality of single-origin espresso in Paris. This was no exception. While tart, the acidity in this espresso stayed centered and was pleasant through. Meanwhile, bergamot and jasmine and florality were present on the nose and hints all the way through.

Actually had Noir's Burundi espresso a few minutes after and it's hard to chose between the two. That one had a bit more nuttiness and earthiness.
Cupping Method:Espresso shot at Noir on Ile St. Louis in Paris

Cupping Method:At Noir Cafe in Ile St. Louis, Paris

A crazy good single origin espresso that was unique in some ways. Both earthy and floral, with a big bergamot/Earl grey bouquet and flavor profile. It is nicely tart without being too heavily acidic, in the red berry range.

Cupping Method:Double espresso at Synapse store in Latin Quarter

A stunning floral, fruity, medium roast espresso with tremendous complexity. There is lemon, lime, blackberry, European breakfast biscuit, green apple, caramel, dark chocolate. And maybe more. Lush crema, perfect balance.
Outstanding.

Cupping Method:At Crible Coffee in Paris as a single shot of espresso from Marzocco machine

Incredibly easy to drink. Distinctly aromatic right out of the seal pack. The instant filter style is a very high quality setup, not just a tea bag but with a stand that hooks on both sides of the cup.

Very fruity and tropical but super super smooth. Black tea platform with a very clean finish, just a hint of vanilla. Ive been trying convenience format all summer during my travels and this one might be my favorite.

Cupping Method:At a hotel in Barcelona after buying these from the Hidden Coffee store

A true treat for the medium roast espresso drink who likes florality, complexity, and acidity. Undertone of a very fine, dark chocolate, and then blackberry/lime acidity never veering too far from the zone where it's pleasant, but evolving and changing. Definitely not for the Italian roast lover!

Cupping Method:Head-to-head espresso tasting vs another Hidden Coffee single-origin (Brazil) at the store in Barcelona

I didnt take great notes on this as it got hectic with the kids at the cafe but wow was this great filter coffee and totally unexpected for Sumatran. Lighter roasted than most Indonesia coffees, this had a cleaner, more mineral earthiness than the usual Sumatran. A touch of nuttiness, some red grape acidity, and something like a strong brewed black tea. I could drink gallons of this. I was blown away by Onawa and I am certain Onawa is a roaster worthy of international acclaim.

Similar to the Brazilian espresso, also an carefully crafted, fragrant, complex decaf. After having the Brazilian, I wanted more espresso! But decaf was the wise choice. Also nutty, floral, and complex. A top 3 Decaf espresso all-time for me.

Cupping Method:At Veintiuno in Zaragoza

Super fragrant and aromatic. Lime blackberry but not overwhelming. A very clean finish that lingers and changes like a fine wine lingering on the tongue. A pleasant nuttiness and perfect mouthfeel. One of the best espressos Ive ever had.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Veintiuno un Zaragoza

One of the best cafe roasts that I've had in Spain. Floral, complex. A little bit of sweetness like those pleasant European breakfast biscuits. A clean acidity. Medium crema with pleasant mouthfeel and a long linger makes you want more.

Don't know anything about this roaster and the website is pretty confusing, so I don't know if this is something you can really get outside of Lasarte/San Sebastian. But if you do see it, make sure you give it a try!

Cupping Method:At Plan B Cafe in Lasarte-Oria

Outstanding citrusy and smooth cold brew. Clean and floral, brown sugar sweetness.

Cupping Method:At Culture Coffee in Leon. Came with a lime which I didn't use but I thought the aroma complemented the coffee

Outstanding single origin florality. Blackberry, a bit of spice and toastiness. Clean citrus finish.

Cupping Method:At Culture Coffee in Leon

A trippy decaf that stands as one of the most delicious espresso Ive had. Complex and balanced with notes of spice, lemon, gingerbread, chocolate. Very clean finish and really wanted another! I have been very impressed with the quality of decaf in Spain!

Cupping Method:Decaf espresso at Madreamiga in Madrid

Outstanding espresso with major depth of flavor and complexity while staying well within the bounds of a cafe medium roast type roast. Floral and fruity, medium but enduring crema with ideal mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:At the F1 Expo (see photo)

Nomad is getting trippy for me. Had some cold brew at Santa Kafeina and was blown away. Peachy, nice acidity, just a touch nutty. Incredibly clean and smooth. Asked for the roast and was told it was this espresso. I cant remember an espresso roast being used for cold brew. Then I saw the bag and the characteristics matched the cold brew. Nomad is so good its trippy.

Incredible depth of flavor and complexity. Earthiness, florality, fine dark chocolate, spice, red wine. Perfect mouthfeel, clean finish with pleasant linger. Crema was medium. A lot of natural sweetness tied in with the acidity.

Cupping Method:Santa Kafeina Cafe in Madrid, pulled as a double on a Marzocco Strada

This is a really excellent espresso blend. It's very complex, with a massive burst of chocolate, fruit characteristics, especially blackberry towards the front of the palate. A complex, wine-like acidity is present throughout the palate but it mutes out to a caramel/cacao nibs flavor. A lush crema for a medium roast. Overall, excellent mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Espresso, side-by-side with an Ethiopian single origin, at Dabov in Madrid

One of the best espressos I've had this year. A trip to Myanmar and back in a single sip. Very smooth with a lot of natural sweetness and insane complexity. Starts right off with a burst of red fruit, then a really deep and complex sweetness with some molasses character in addition to the usual espresso taste notes. A very nice crema and overall mouthfeel.

This espresso has an acidity profile comparable to great wines with softened tannins. Huge props to Osorio for even attempting a single-origin Myanmar espresso - it's my first one and all I have to say is wow!

Cupping Method:Side-by-side tasting vs a single-origin Colombia at La Deseada

These were the beans for maybe the best cold brew that I have ever had. Bright strawberry, natural sweetness like a maple syrup, and a touch of nuttiness and dried blueberry.

Cupping Method:Cold Brew at La Deseada, Calle Jose Abascal in Madrid (a specialty coffee shop that very much knows what it is doing)

An impeccably executed decaf single origin SWP decaf. The best decaf espresso Ive found. Very complex with a lingering acidity. Chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, brown sugar. Very clean and balanced.

Cupping Method:Infinito Cafe in Madrid

A remarkable gesha shared by a friend from Colombia in Madrid.

Best espresso I had in Iceland was at this super cool bus cafe in Vik near the black sand beach. Balanced, flavorful with caramel hints and nice acidity.

I think we have a winner in the instant / travel competition! Smooth but with a touch of spice this is an excellent cup of coffee. Its maybe a 4.5 compared to true pourover specialty medium roast but the best Ive found in a convenience format. Fair trade and organic to boot!

Cupping Method:Steeped tea bag

Gracenote just has espresso down. This is journey in 10 seconds, chocolate, the right amount of bitterness, a plum/blackberry pie type acidity, some natural sweetness, a clean, lingering, tingling, pleasant finish.

Cupping Method:Doppio at O'Some Cafe in Watertown

This is actually by my favorite Kenyan that I've ever had, and completely unique for me. I think you could easily mistake this roast for a hibiscus limeade.

First off, no tomato!

Hibisicus is the game's name here, and that might not be for everyone. But as someone who personally loves hibiscus everything, this is perfection. This is really a coffee for those who appreciate acidity when it is balanced. There's also, especially when the cup has cooled, a touch of sweetness like a natural honey.

Stylistically, this is so unique it's definitely not for everyone but I think light roast specialty lovers will fall in love.

Cupping Method:Hario v60

This coffee is a light roast masterpiece. I'm fond of Nordic-style light roast coffee but it's hard to get in the US.

It's a combination of a high-quality beans and craft roasting excellence. Two characteristics described by the roaster - jasmine tea, and tangerine are in full force. I also pick up hints of cherry, and a chocolate/coffee undertone. This coffee is complex and evolves, but remains balanced throughout the palate. It has acidity without acid.

It has a clean and complex finish, with a little bit of the toffee lingering, like when you're thinking about stealing a touch more Skor bar off your kids' ice cream.

Cupping Method:Chemex Pourover

Smooth and delicious medium-dark roast. Some nuttiness (almond?) that hits front of palate and re-appears in the middle sandwiching some New England blueberrry acidity. Some natural sweetness. Very clean finish.

Cupping Method:Drip at Old Mill in Chelmsford, MA

This is one of the best espressos I've had this year. I have a slight bias towards medium espressos myself, and this is an excellent one. Exactly what you'd hope to see with a South American origin espresso, highlighting the acidity and balancing it off with big chocolate character.

Fantastic balance. A burst of dark chocolate at the beginning, the good kind, evolves into a complex mix of blackberry, molasses, and brown sugar. Almost a little bit of spice, like a hint of nutmeg in there. Clean and long finish. Delicious.

Cupping Method:Doppio at Old Mill Cafe in Chelmsford, MA

Undoubtedly the best decaf coffee I've ever had. This was part of season #10 Leaderboard Coffee game. So good I thought was gesha and had no clue it was decaf in the blind tasting.

Incredibly aromatic nose that was super floral, even a hint of rose (a Gesha Clouds I had from Moxie in Phoenix, AZ) had this character. Black tea, honey, brown sugar, lime, and tamarind were all components I picked up in a complex journey. Really fun and really good.

Cupping Method:Blind tasting, Chemex pourover

This is an outstanding organic Ethiopian light roast that highlights the flavors of Ethiopia. It's bursting with tropical and berry notes, riding on something in between a jasmine green tea and black tea platform. Tropicality - thought maybe guava. Blossom says passionfruit and I could buy that too. It's fun and dynamic in the cup, drinkable across hot and cool. On the website it's under $20 for a 12 oz bag, so great coffee at a great price.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover

This week to try to stunt my East Coast bias, I ordered a six-pack of coffees from a roaster out of Vachon Island, WA called Blossom Coffee Roasters (ok fine, I did also buy four bags from Massachusetts and Maine).

I started the Blossom with Edward Gonzales Organic Peru. From the moment I opened the bag, the S'mores aroma emanating from the ground beans was very inviting.

Upon brewing, the S'mores notes carried through to the cup, creating a delightful and comforting flavor profile (a touch of lactic acid from the fermentation perhaps). The combination of black tea and clean citrusy bursts, which emerged around three-fourths of the way through the sip, added a refreshing and vibrant touch to the overall taste.

As I continued to explore the flavors, I noticed a delightful transformation from tangerine to pear, which added a subtle sweetness to the coffee. It was impressive how well Blossom Coffee Roasters captured these flavors, as they had specifically mentioned pear, milk chocolate, toffee, and guava in their description, and I could detect hints of all these elements.

One aspect that stood out was the nuttiness, particularly a cashew-like note that appeared at the front of the palate. This nuance provided a pleasant balance to the other flavors, enhancing the overall complexity and depth of the coffee.

For me, a rating of 4.5 or 5 stars. I'm giving Blossom the benefit of the doubt since their taste notes description exactly matched the notes I found.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 dripper. I purchased a 6 bag sampler from Blossom. They fresh roast and I sampled this coffee the day after they delivered.