It’ll Be Lonely This Christmas Without Brew

Country: Rwanda | Democratic Republic of Congo

Regions: Gishamwana Island | Virunga National Park, Musasa, North Kivu

Producer: Emmanuel Rwakagara | Coopade Cooperative

Altitude: 1500 - 2100 masl

Varietal: Bourbon & Blue Mountain

Process: Washed

Roaster: Neighbourhood Coffee Roasters

Price: 17 SGD per 250g

Tasting Notes: Boozy Chocolate, Cranberry, Dried Fruit, Mulled Spice Wine, Orange Zest

_________Intensity____Quality

Aroma_____ ⚄__________⚄

A nose of orangey chocolates comes to mind as upon drinking the coffee, leading into a rich, heady aroma of mulled dried fruits.

Acidity ____ ⚃__________⚅

Lovely acidity of cranberries accentuated with flavors of sweet berries. Ties in so smoothly with the flavor profile that it is almost indistinguishable without paying close attention.

Sweetness ⚄__________⚅

Sombre and warm, there is a spice from mulled wine, flushed with clarified sweetness of dried figs and fruits. It is neither too flavorous nor found to be wanting, but fits in just right.

Body _____ ⚅__________⚅

Relatively heavier that usual filtered coffees, it has a distinctive voluminous spiced body.

Hints of the dried orange peels, cinnamons and cloves appear past the sweetness.

Finish_____ ⚅__________⚅

In the finish lies a nice balanced finish with vestiges of orange zest and sweet berries.

It leaves lasting, pleasant notes of dark chocolates that are both sweet and umami.

Notes

I highly enjoyed this coffee. All aspects seem well considered, with nice sweetness and brightness, rich spiced coffee body, and a finish that is equal parts dark and sweet.

The natural fruit-like sweetness, along with the specific notes of spices the body, bring to mind the flavors from a classic Old Fashioned. Indeed, drinking this coffee truly brings some warmth to the heart, widely reminiscent of the Christmas holiday season.

Given the context of this blend being used for both espresso and filter, when brewing this coffee with filter method, it helps to use a lower temperature of 87°C. This tampers down the thickness of the body and brings out a lighter sweetness and acidity. On reflection, my experience with this delicious coffee has made me more keen to discover what omni-roasted blends are able to provide in the context of filtered coffee.

Overall ⚅