ROASTER'S RESERVE: ETHIOPIA YIRGACHEFFE KOKE #1881

Tastes Like: Berry Compote, Grape, White Peach, Cashew, Honey Grahams

Curator’s Notes: Our Good Food Finalist award tour continues with Drink Coffee Do Stuff's reserve lot of red honey Ethiopian Koke from the prized Yirgacheffe region. SO sweet, rich, and dynamic, this is one of the most unique and charismatic coffees I’ve tasted in a long time! Nice winey aromas as it brews, in the cup the fruity notes coalesce into a handful of mixed berries, green grape, white peach, elegant floral nectar sweetness, reminding me of the fresh, almost effervescent flavor of a vinho verde wine. As you continue to sip, you’ll taste the cashew butter, toffee, honey-nut note that makes this lot so rich and distinctive. Its nuanced profile comes from its honey process, where the bean is infused with the natural sugars of the coffee fruit while it dries. Honey process can be tricky to get right, but when it's done well, these coffees are in a league of their own! The roast is more of a light-medium, toning down any overly piquant acidity and helping its smooth, nutty notes really shine. I'd pair this one with honey-nut cereal or oatmeal with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh fruit.

Bottom Line: You’ll love this coffee if you love fruit-forward African coffees, cashew brittle, or vinho verde wine.

A Good Food Finalist accolade means that this coffee stood out among thousands of applicants to this annual awards competition, topping the charts in a blind tasting AND meeting the foundation’s standards for environmental and social responsibility. We don't know if this one will place in the final winners' circle yet, but we're betting on it... Our Tahoe-based friends at Drink Coffee Do Stuff were so excited to share their Ethiopia Koke Yirgacheffe with Bean Box customers, they offered to throw in a FREE pack of stickers with every bag. Don’t wait, this one is bound to go quick!!

One of the high-scorers of the year, we're honored Coffee Review gave this a 93. Here's their assessment: Brightly sweet, resonant. Green grape, cashew butter, agave syrup, cedar, honeysuckle in aroma and cup. Sweet structure with juicy acidity; lightly satiny mouthfeel. The finish centers leads with notes of cashew and green grape.

If we may be so bold — say hello to the most delicious coffee you've ever tasted. Our sourcing team hasn't stopped buzzing since we first cupped this exceptional honey processed single origin, sourced from around 1200 smallholder farmers from Birbes Kela, Koke, Konga, Wedessa, and Tisho kebeles, in southern Ethiopia. Fly high with a coffee that is truly out of this world, with flavor notes of ripe cherry, berry compote, and white peach, with a honey graham smooth finish. Espresso connoisseurs — don't miss this one for your home set-up.

About honey processing: Harvested cherries are fermented in-cherry for two days prior to being pulped. The pulped coffee is then dried on raised beds to its optimal humidity.