Starbucks
Guatemala Casi Cielo Single-Origin

Roaster Location: Seattle, Washington

• 

  Theo Chan, Managing Editor

  1854 roasts rated, avg score of 4.31

  3.00 - Average

  3.50 - Aroma

  3.00 - Finish

  3.00 - Flavor

  3.00 - Acidity

  3.00 - Balance

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  When I first opened the Starbucks Guatemala Casi Cielo bag, the beans had a bit of an oily sheen. Made me wonder if they might be over-roasted. Though it's tagged as a medium roast, it felt closer to a medium-dark vibe. If that's your jam, you might be into it. Personally, I thought it leaned a tad too dark for a medium and could've used a bit more balance.
  
  Brewing it up as a filter coffee, I didn't catch much of the promised acidity. The bag mentioned notes of bright Meyer lemon and cocoa nibs. I mainly got the chocolatey feel, which was pleasant until a slightly burnt aftertaste came into play. It's decent, but I'd probably rate it a three-star for filter.
  
  As an espresso though, it shined a bit more. Got a nice nutty and caramel vibe with just a hint of that burnt taste. Plus, the crema was pretty good. For an espresso spin, I'd bump it up to 3.5 stars.

  Cupping Method:Chemex pourover and espresso at 95 Celsius

  Traits: smooth carbon

  

  2 years ago · See more from Theo
• 

  Emily Schadler

  93 roasts rated, avg score of 4.24

  3.00 - Average

  Though this is supposed to be an especially good roast from Starbucks, it didnt taste very special to me. It wasnt bad, but it landed pretty flat. No complexity and a little too dark for my taste.

  Cupping Method:Hario V60 Pourover

  2 years ago · See more from Emily
• 

  Scott Greenaway

  175 roasts rated, avg score of 4.27

  4.00 - Average

  3.50 - Aroma

  4.00 - Finish

  4.00 - Flavor

  2.50 - Acidity

  4.00 - Balance

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  A solid dark roast flavor, highlighting cacao notes with a hint of nuttiness. The flavor was strong with enough nuance to keep me interested.

  2 years ago · See more from Scott