City Boy Coffee

Lovely sweet, chicory aroma.

Most Burundi coffee I see is washed, with bright acidity, a clean cup, and fruity or floral notes.

However, natural coffees from Burundi are becoming more common among specialty-focused producers. These naturals tend to have more intense fruit flavors and a heavier body.

This one, I think, lands a bit in between. It has the subtlety and smoothness you expect from Burundi, but there is a lot going on! It has a chocolate lead that transitions to rooibos in the middle. I get some subtle baking spice mid-palate, sweet orange, white grape, then a lighter red fruit note, followed by a very smooth and clean finish with a white grape note. I don't think it's plainly what you expect from a natural—it's not really funky. It's silky smooth but with a lot of body and natural sweetness.

I got stuck a little bit on what to grade this because I think a beginner or non-specialty coffee drinker will probably like this but might not fully appreciate it. And I think it takes dialing in and drinking a decent size pot to really understand the subtlety of this coffee. at a tasting event, we drink it in a bit of a rush, and nobody really picked up the taste notes.

It's not like one of these processed Colombians that hits you in the face. I decided to give it a 5 because once you get it, it's very rewarding.

Cupping Method:It took me a while to dial this one in. The best result was 197F, 17.5:1 on the Hario v60.

Also thought this made a pretty good espresso.

This roast has a compelling flavor profile with a forward acidity. I found it to be leaning towards a tart-lemon-black tea, with high sweet notes. I'm interested to try it as a summer cold brew.

Cupping Method:pourover: no cream, no sweetener