Dabov Specialty Coffee

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 better capsule coffees I can remember. An easy drinking light-medium roast for people who like a lighter bodied coffee.

A good crema after extraction that dissipates pretty quickly. Very clean acidity, I get the red apple described (but not really the mandarin). Has some natural sweetness. A touch of nutty/caramel right before a very clean finish.

Uses a compostable pod that extracted well.

Cupping Method:Nespresso machine, pink capsules purchased from Dabov store in Madrid

A lighter roast to pull as an espresso, but the barista at Dabov Madrid wanted to do it, so I obliged. This was somehow right at the edge of being undrinkable and really good. My first impression was it's going to be too acidic but it never crossed that line for me (I'm pretty sure it would for a dark espresso lover). Almost like a gobstopper, it changes taste and mouthfeel about 4 times in 5 seconds. Fruitiness and florality is at the center of it all. I don't know if it's what I want as my every day espresso but it was a lot of fun.

Cupping Method:Dabov pulled this for me as a single shot of espresso at their store in Madrid, side by side versus their Signature Blend. The Signature Blend is pretty outstanding but I think it didn't influence my judgement here.

I had this coffee as cold brew so I might not have gotten the full experience here, but it's something Dabov offered me.

I can say the cold brew was delicious, fruity but low acidity, low bitterness with a wonderful natural sweetness and a touch of tropicality and florality.

Cupping Method:Cold brew at Dabov store in Madrid.

Longer post here, but a super super interesting coffee with an aroma on the grind that was absolutely incredible. I have to confess, I actually kept drinking this coffee and I couldn't quite figure out what word to use. I decided on a sweet sage or salvia but I don't think that's quite right. It's neutral in terms of whether it adds or u

There's a nice tropical acidity and some blood orange clear through that makes it very pleasant overall. It's a 8 in terms of how delicious (would happily have every day) and a 10 in terms of intellectual process and fun to try to understand for a specialty coffee lover.

It was explained to me as thermal ferment, which I previously had explained to me.

So what is a thermal ferment?

The process commences by carefully selecting cherries at their optimum ripeness, ensuring a significant sugar content.

Subsequently, the thermal procedure initiates through a brief exposure to a high-temperature shock, approximately 70 degrees Celsius. The coffee cherries are pulped and placed directly under the sun to achieve this. The heat exposure commences the breakdown of the coffee cherries' natural sugars, resulting in partial caramelization. This innovative technique imparts the coffee an exceptionally sweet and fruity flavor, leading to a well-balanced and rounded cup.

The coffee undergoes thorough mixing and is transferred into a tightly sealed tank. The complete closure of the tank is crucial as it prevents the escape of CO2 and ensures pressure generation. The tank's temperature is carefully regulated throughout the fermentation process. Additionally, the pH is constantly monitored after 15 hours to track the progress of fermentation.

Fermentation must be halted once the sugars in the mucilage have been consumed, without any alcohol being produced. This creates flavor complexity different and unseen in other processes which is definitely seen in this coffee!

Cupping Method:v60 pourover in the Dabov Madrid store. Photo is Dabov expert barista measuring.

Toffee, red apple and tangerine. Has a medium body and a sweet aftertaste

Cupping Method:Follow @coffeelover.mary on Instagram for more European coffee roaster recommendations!

Caramel, Roasted Hazelnuts

Cupping Method:@coffeelover.mary on Instagram for more European coffee roaster recommendations!

Follow @coffeelover.mary on Instagram for more European coffee roaster recommendations!