Laos Xamtai

Country: Laos PDR

Region: Xamtai District, Houaphan Province

Producer: Various Smallholders

Altitude: 800 - 1200 masl

Varietal: Catimor, Java, Yellow Caturra

Process: Natural

Roaster: Foreword Coffee Roasters

Price: 25 SGD per 250g

Tasting Notes: Strawberries, Cane-sugar, Tea-like

_________Intensity____Quality

Aroma_____ ⚄__________⚄

One is greeted by a pleasant waft of strawberries from the freshly roasted beans.

Mildly spiced pepper and chocolatey aromas emerge during the brewing process.

Acidity ____ ⚂__________⚄

There is a apple-like acidity that becomes more discernible as the taste profile develops.

The muted aspect of it allows the sweetness of this coffee to be presented clearly.

Sweetness ⚅__________⚅

Especial notes of sweet, fresh strawberry come to the fore, with transparent sweetness of cane-sugar syrup identifiable towards the end of the profile.

Body _____ ⚄__________⚃

A light-to-medium bodied drink that holds a surprising amount of full-bodied flavors.

Peppery hints help the drink to come off with a more pronounced and fuller mouthfeel.

Finish_____ ⚄__________⚃

A clean aftertaste of strawberries remains in a relatively long finish. However, the lighter and more refined characteristic in the finish may be partially masked by the spicier body.

Notes

The standout feature of this coffee are the notes of strawberries that are consistent throughout aroma to finish. A more pronounced spicy and peppery body provides some contrast to the primary flavors of fresh strawberries and a clean cane-sugar sweetness,

yet waning towards the end in a lingering fresh finish, akin to how it started off.

The cup is well balanced, with good amounts of sweetness and a contrasting body, and can be imagined to be a bridge from traditional heavy-bodied Asian coffees to the focus on flavors and origin that speciality coffee aims to achieve.

Overall ⚄