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Our February Coffee of the Month, the Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura, received an excellent 91 point rating, the best score a Flores coffee has ever received, from Kenneth Davids, one of the world's foremost coffee tasters!

Here's what he said about the Flores:

"Intense, complex, unorthodox: cherry and blueberry, dark chocolate, moist fresh-fallen leaves, violet-like flowers in aroma and cup. Rich, backgrounded acidity; full, syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor-saturated, salty-sweet finish. The striking aromatics of this coffee were clearest in the superb aroma.."

(Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review, February 2012.)

What do you think about the Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura?  You can leave your comment below once you've tried it!

You can read Kenneth's full review here

The Review

For our February Coffee of the Month, we have the exotic Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura.  Flores is an Indonesian island, located east of Java.  Unlike most of Indonesia, the population of Flores is almost entirely Catholic.  This coffee is prepared using the "wet hulled" process, common to many Indonesian coffees, and results in a very distinctive flavor.

Roasted Beans:

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: I'm curious to see how the Flores tastes - I haven't had an Indonesian coffee that I've really enjoyed in the medium roast, so I'm interested to see how it turns out.  We'll evaluate in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: This is what I thought of the Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura:

Aroma: Delicate and detailed - I could smell hints of honeycomb and tamarind. Acidity: Present, but tempered.  The initial acidity quickly flowed into dark chocolate notes, perhaps due to the wet hulled processing on the beans. Aftertaste: One of the most unique and enjoyable aftertastes I've experienced - light, refreshing, sweet, and lingering. Body/Mouthfeel: Smooth and full. Complexity: Wonderful subtle complexity -  grapefruit, rose, honeydew melon and charred cedar notes were all apparent to me. Darkness: Medium.

Choir Monk: Well, I am impressed!  The Flores is very complex, sharing many of the qualities of good Sumatran coffees, but without the grassy taste that can often be detected in medium roasted Indonesian coffees.

Lay Monk: I agree!  This was a grand medium roasted coffee.  My notes were quite similar to yours.

Aroma: Nutty and intense, with sweet hints.
Acidity: There was some initially, but it faded into sweetness very quickly.
Aftertaste: I thought the aftertaste was nice.  Light and fragrant.
Body/Mouthfeel: Syrupy and full.
Complexity: I really like the complexity - In addition to what you noted, I also tasted hints of roses and berries.
Darkness: Medium.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: I thought this coffee was very good!  It was very smooth, and the complexity was pleasing.  I can definitely say that this is the best Indonesian coffee I've had to date!

Lay Monk: It was very good!  I thought that the complexity was perfect, and the aftertaste is unlike any I've experienced recently.  I highly recommend it!

Choir Monk: Our final assessment:

An Indonesian masterpiece, the Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura is a truly unique coffee.  The gentle acidity effortlessly accelerates into finely layered rose, berry and cedar notes.  The especial aftertaste is refreshing and sweet, completing one of the finest medium roasted Indonesian coffees you'll ever have.

What do you think about the Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Flores Organic Bajawa Ngura is available as part of the coffee of the month club. You can subscribe to the club below. Join the coffee of the month club and get a free Monk Press! For best quality, the coffee of the month is only available in whole bean (freshly grind your coffee just before brewing). You can purchase a coffee grinder here.

We will send you a new coffee each month! Should you need to stop receiving the Coffee of the Month, please call us at 877-751-6377 (Minimum term of three months)

The Review

January's coffee of the month is the Colombian Excelso Popayan.  While most Colombian coffees have a reputation of providing a consistently clean and smooth cup, it's rare to find one that really stands out from the crowd like the Popayan does.

Roasted Beans:

Choir Monk: These beans look very good - I'm guessing that they are medium-roasted.  They smell very sweet - tamarind, honey and caramel are the dominant tones I'm getting. Lay Monk:I am very excited about this coffee! We roasted it to around 430 degrees and it looks great!  This Colombian has a distintive sweet smell. I can smell honey, and just a touch of grapefruit.

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: Now for the tasting!  We've haven't had a lot South American coffees as part of the Coffee of the Month, so I'm interested to see how the Colombian Popayan tastes . We'll evaluate it in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: Here's what I found:

Aroma: Unique. I could smell plum and baking spices. Acidity: Rounded red-apple acidity. Aftertaste: Very clean aftertaste, with sweet hints. Body/Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, but I thought that it suited this coffee perfectly. Complexity: Notably complex; I noticed vanilla, citrus and woody notes. Darkness: I would call it a medium darkness.

Lay Monk: I thought the Colombian Excelso Popayan was very pleasant.  Here's what I tasted:

Aroma: I could smell notes of citrus, honey and baking spice.
Acidity: Enjoyable - I thought the acidity was nice and lively.
Aftertaste: Smooth and clean aftertaste, with chocolate and charred cedar notes.
Body/Mouthfeel: Medium, smooth body.
Complexity: I thought the complexity was good - honeydew melon, grapefruit, and earthy notes were apparent to me.
Darkness: Medium

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: I thought this was one of the best Colombian coffees I've ever had!  The smooth, sweet flavor was nicely complex and the aftertaste was good, with no unpleasant bitterness.

Lay Monk: I also enjoyed the Popayan.  I thought that the acidity was good, and I enjoyed the citrus and chocolate notes.  I agree with you on the aftertaste - it wasn't bitter at all.

Choir Monk: OK, now for our final verdict:

Standing head and shoulders above most Colombian offerings, the Excelso Popayan exhibits delicate complexity in a clean and refined cup.  The initial citrus notes meld with the inherent sweetness and the smooth, clean aftertaste finishes what can be described as a truly unique Colombian classic.

What do you think about the Colombian Excelso Popayan? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Colombian Excelso Popayan is available as part of the coffee of the month club. You can subscribe to the club below. Join the coffee of the month club and get a free Monk Press! For best quality, the coffee of the month is only available in whole bean (freshly grind your coffee just before brewing). You can purchase a coffee grinder here.

We will send you a new coffee each month! Should you need to stop receiving the Coffee of the Month, please call us at 877-751-6377 (Minimum term of three months)

The Review

For our December Coffee of the Month, we have the Christmas Blend 2011!  The Christmas Blend is a special blend of coffees from all over the globe - while the exact formula is secret, we can tell you that it contains beans from Africa, Central America and South America, roasted to different levels, creating a blend that has the best qualities of all the beans.

Roasted Beans:

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: I must admit, I always look forward to our Christmas Blend - We'll evaluate it in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: Here's what I thought of the Christmas Blend:

Aroma: Complex - there was many notes -  charred cedar, vanilla and stewed peaches. Acidity: The acidity was roast-muted; the darker tones helped take the edge of the acidity, resulting in a mildly acidic coffee. Aftertaste: Like the aroma, I thought aftertaste was complex, with hints of chocolate and lemon citrus. Body/Mouthfeel: Full. Complexity: Very rich - vanilla, chocolate, and citrus tones were all evident to me. Darkness: Medium-Dark.

Choir Monk: I thought the Christmas Blend was a veritable tapestry of flavors!  What did you think, Lay Monk?

Lay Monk: I thought it was pretty good too!  I observed many of the same things as you:

Aroma: Dark and sweet, smoky, chocolate notes.
Acidity: Mild.
Aftertaste: I thought the aftertaste was very good; rising chocolate tones with hints of grapefruit.
Body/Mouthfeel: I also thought the body was nice and full.
Complexity: The complexity was very good, hints of plum, grapefruit, chocolate and smoky wood.
Darkness: Medium-Dark.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: Every year, we put a lot of effort into our Christmas Blend, and this year's Blend reflects the effort put into it - Rich, deep, bold and complex. I greatly enjoyed it!

Lay Monk: I really liked the Christmas Blend too!  I found it very smooth and complex.  Although it is much darker than our previous coffees offered, I didn't find it bitter or pungent.  The sweet notes carry through nicely into a fine aftertaste.

Choir Monk: Our final assessment:

Building on a Mystic Monk tradition, the Christmas Blend 2011 is an exquisitely crafted blend that draws out complex notes from coffees around the world, resulting in a tapestry of flavors, with chocolate, citrus fruit and charred cedar as the main threads.  The sweet aftertaste lingers, finishing what is a sophisticated Christmas Blend for 2011.

What do you think about the Christmas Blend 2011? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Christmas Blend 2011 is available as part of the coffee of the month club. You can subscribe to the club below. Join the coffee of the month club and get a free Monk Press! For best quality, the coffee of the month is only available in whole bean (freshly grind your coffee just before brewing). You can purchase a coffee grinder here.

We will send you a new coffee each month! Should you need to stop receiving the Coffee of the Month, please call us at 877-751-6377 (Minimum term of three months)

The Review

For our November Coffee of the Month, we have the Mexican El Triunfo, a Fair Trade Organic offering from the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountain range in Mexico. This unique shade-grown coffee is one of the best to come out of Mexico.

Roasted Beans:

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: I'm interested to see how this coffee tastes.  Mexican coffees normally have dominating wood and chocolate notes - I'm wondering if this one will be the same. We'll evaluate in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: Here's what I thought of the Mexican El Triunfo:

Aroma: I thought the aroma was unique: Dark chocolate, sweet liqueur. Acidity: Pleasantly subtle.  I liked the acidity. I've had Mexican coffees that were overly acidic, but the El Triunfo is very good in this area. Aftertaste: I liked the aftertaste.  Sweet, with a touch of vanilla. Body/Mouthfeel: Well-rounded and full body.  Very good! Complexity: This is definitely the most complex Mexican coffee I've had. Creamy, sweet, with hints of orange and hibiscus. Darkness: It tasted like a medium-dark to me.

Choir Monk: I thought this coffee was outstanding!  What did you think of it, Lay Monk?

Lay Monk: This is probably the best Mexican coffee I've ever had!  Here's what I noted:

Aroma: I could smell lots of sweetness, and a hint of hibiscus flower.
Acidity: Mild and integrated.
Aftertaste: I really enjoyed the aftertaste!  It was very smooth, sweet and chocolatey.
Body/Mouthfeel: Full and syrupy - I thought the mouthfeel was good.
Complexity: Interestingly complex! I could taste notes of grapefruit, a hint of spice, and lots of sweet tones.
Darkness: I'd call it medium.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: I think that the Mexican El Triunfo is the best Mexican coffee I've ever tasted!  Sometimes Mexican coffees can lack a certain degree of subtly, but that's not the case with the El Triunfo.  It's beautifully layered, and has a great aftertaste!

Lay Monk: I echo your sentiments entirely.  Smooth, subtle and sweet - I really enjoyed it!

Choir Monk: Our final assessment:

Velvety smooth, the Mexican El Triunfo is a sublime example of Mexican coffee at its best. The mild acidity fuses with the delicate complexity, resulting in a coffee that is creamy and sweet, with a wonderfully lingering aftertaste.

What do you think about the Mexican El Triunfo? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Mexican El Triunfo is available as part of the coffee of the month club. You can subscribe to the club below. Join the coffee of the month club and get a free Monk Press! For best quality, the coffee of the month is only available in whole bean (freshly grind your coffee just before brewing). You can purchase a coffee grinder here.

We will send you a new coffee each month! Should you need to stop receiving the Coffee of the Month, please call us at 877-751-6377 (Minimum term of three months)