The Review

After the great success of last month's coffee, the Easter Sunrise Blend, we have another fine coffee for the May coffee of the month.  The Ethiopian Organic Sidamo.  Named after the famed coffee region in the south of Ethiopia, this unique coffee is prepared using the "natural" or "dry" processing method, because the coffee cherries are left out in the sun to dry after picking, instead of using the "wet" processing method which involves washing the coffee cherries off the bean after picking.  The naturally processed beans often show interesting characteristics not found in the wet processing method.

Roasted Beans:

Choir Monk: These beans look very interesting!  There's quite a gamut of color, from a lighter to mid brown.  Is that because of the natural processing method? Lay Monk: Yes, the natural process beans often have a range of colors in the same roast.  Br. Roaster roasted these around 430 degrees, so we should notice a lot of different tastes.  I can smell strong floral and berry tones in these beans.

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: Now for the tasting!  This is the first natural processed coffee we've had in a while, so I'm interested to see how it will taste. We'll evaluate it in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: Here's what I thought:

Aroma: Intense hi-toned floral and berry notes. Acidity: Quite wild and intense, redolent of fresh berries. Aftertaste: Good - lingering and delicate. Body/Mouthfeel: Similar to the acidity, in that it is intense in the mouthfeel, in a nice way. Complexity: Unique complexity; dandelion flowers, vanilla bean, and that ubiquitous berry-like acidity. Darkness: Light.

Lay Monk: I must admit that this coffee was quite a surprise!  Here are the notes that I have:

Aroma: Savory, with a hint of vanilla bean and blueberry.
Acidity: Flamboyant, with a hint of wildness.
Aftertaste: Deep vanilla and floral tones that persisted.
Body/Mouthfeel: Interesting body, with a unique "roughness" that is appealing.
Complexity: Nicely complex!  Pineapple, vanilla, blueberry and a hint of nut.
Darkness: Light.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: Well I must say that this a fine example of a natural processed Ethiopian coffee.  The "wildness" that was evident in the acidity and mouthfeel really portrays this coffee's rustic background.

Lay Monk: I think that this Organic Sidamo makes a fine breakfast or mid-morning coffee - it has a rugged side that suits it admirably, and the floral and vanilla aftertaste lingers for a long time after the final sip is taken.

Choir Monk: OK, now for our final verdict:

Rustic and complex, the Ethiopian Organic Sidamo is a study in naturally processed African coffee. The unique acidity endures throughout the sip, and the floral, berry and vanilla notes escalate gently into a aromatic aftertaste that refreshes and invigorates.  The perfect mid-morning companion

What do you think about the Ethiopian Organic Sidamo? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Ethiopian Organic Sidamo 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)

Our April Coffee of the Month, the Easter Sunrise Blend, received a supurb 91 point rating from Kenneth Davids, one of the world's foremost coffee tasters!

Here's what he said about the Easter Sunrise Blend:

"Intense, idiosyncratic, original. Bittersweet with a salty savory edge.Dried date, raisin, dark chocolate, distinct lavender top notes. Deep-toned acidity; heavily syrupy mouthfeel. Smoothes and sweetens a bit in the finish, but retains its weighty, savory richness."

(Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review, April 2012.)

You can read Kenneth's full review here

The Review

For our April Coffee of the Month, we have the Easter Sunrise Blend.  Roasted with specialty beans from Africa and South America, this coffee is one of the finest blends we've ever had!

Roasted Beans:

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: I can't wait to try this blend!  It's going to be very interesting to see how the African and South American coffees meld together.  It can be easy to muddle flavors and tastes if the blend is not done perfectly.

Choir Monk: This is what I thought of the Easter Sunrise Blend:

Aroma: Complex, floral and intense .  There were also some pleasant fruity hints in the aroma. Acidity: Rich and invigorating acidity - very good! Aftertaste: Similar to the aroma, but with additional chocolate and sweet notes. Body/Mouthfeel: A nice, full body.  Complexity: Excellent complexity - berry and floral notes, with a hint of tannin, much like a fine wine. Darkness: Medium-Light.

Choir Monk: Well, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed this blend!  The chocolate notes of the South American coffee enhanced and augmented the winey, floral notes of the African coffee. 

Lay Monk: I, too, enjoyed the Easter Sunrise Blend greatly.  Here are the notes that I have:

Aroma: Floral, with hints of vanilla bean and grapefruit.
Acidity: Excellent initial acidity, perfect for a breakfast coffee.
Aftertaste: Lingering and aromatic, I noted berry and chocolate in the aftertaste. 
Body/Mouthfeel: Medium to full body.
Complexity: Fantastically complex!  The more I tasted, the more I found; citrus fruit, vanilla, pineapple and chocolate tones were all evident to me.
Darkness: I would say medium-light on the darkness scale.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: The Easter Sunrise Blend makes the perfect morning coffee - the initial acidity was great, and the complexity superb.  I highly recommend it.  What did you think of it?

Lay Monk: I thought it wonderful!  The winey complexity was a real highlight for me, and I can envision the Easter Sunrise Blend becoming a favorite for many.

Choir Monk: To sum up:

From the initial burst of citric acidity, the Easter Sunrise Blend exudes complexity and class. Pineapple, floral, chocolate and vanilla notes are carefully arranged into a bouquet of flavors that will delight you cup after cup. The fine aftertaste gently lingers, finishing what is one of the finest breakfast coffees you'll ever have.

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

The Easter Sunrise Blend 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

March's coffee of the month is the Rwanda Fair Trade Dukundekawa Musasa.  Rwandan coffee has been gaining popularity in the last few years, and the Dukundekawa is one of the finest offerings available.  Our previous African coffees - the Burundi Ngoma, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and Tanzanian Peaberry - have been some of our most popular coffees yet.

Roasted Beans:

Choir Monk: The beans look good.  I can see that they were roasted evenly.  The aroma is fantastic!  I can detect hints of amaretto, cherry and flowers. Lay Monk: These beans were roasted to around the 430 mark.  This picture was taken just a few hours after the beans were roasted.   I can smell lime, stone fruit and jasmine blossom.

The Tasting:

Choir Monk: OK, let's see how this coffee tastes!  Our African offerings have been some of our best received coffees, so I've got high hopes for the Rwanda . We'll evaluate it in the usual categories: Aroma, Acidity, Aftertaste, Body/Mouthfeel, Complexity and Darkness.

Choir Monk: Here's what I thought:

Aroma: Amazing! Like an almond liqueur, with sweet citrus. This is one of the most unique aromas I've experienced. Acidity: Nice and bright. Aftertaste: Subtle, sweet and aromatic. Body/Mouthfeel: I thought that the body was nice and rounded. Very smooth. Complexity: Fine African complexity - floral and fruit notes with a hint of almond. Darkness: Medium.

Lay Monk: I thought this coffee was very fine!  Here are the notes that I have:

Aroma: Orange zest, jasmine flowers and cherries.
Acidity: Pronounced and well-integrated - I thought the acidity was very good.
Aftertaste: Delicate, sweet, with a hint of malt.
Body/Mouthfeel: I found it full bodied too.
Complexity: Nicely complex!  Hints of honey, pineapple with the overarching citrus and floral elements.
Darkness: I'm calling it about a medium darkness.

Conclusion:

Choir Monk: I thoroughly enjoyed this coffee!  The aroma was absolutely fantastic, and I thought that the complexity and aftertaste were sublime.  For me, this is a great example of a classic African coffee.

Lay Monk: I agree!  The aftertaste, in particular was incredibly complex and delicate.  I noticed that this coffee got much sweeter as it cooled a little, so I would recommend savoring each cup rather than drinking it quickly.

Choir Monk: OK, now for our final verdict:

Complex, sweet and aromatic, the Rwanda Dukundekawa Musasa is a multifaceted coffee that will have you noticing nuance with each cup.  The bright acidity leads into a sweet and floral cup, with orange zest and pineapple notes that persist all though the delicate aftertaste.  

What do you think about the Rwanda Dukundekawa Musasa? Leave a comment below once you've tried it!

The Rwanda Dukundekawa Musasa 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)

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)