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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)