Coffee is in many ways like grapes used to make table wine. By this I mean year by year climate change (more rain, less sunshine hours) can change the cupping qualities of origins. This is exciting for a roastmaster as it allows him/her to be able to experiment to bring out better and bolder blends.
To date its been years where where Indonesia has seen above average rainfall in the origins that have already harvested (Sumatra). This has resulted in a bumper harvest, but one with far different coffee cupping characters from last year. As a result we have blended a new all Indonesian coffee espresso blend that is getting rave reviews. Are we raving on ourselves too much? Maybe...but bear in mind this exact blend came runner up in Food Hotel Asia 2012- beating all before it bar the Kiwi blend. Well...theres one for us to aim for in 2014!
The existing blend is roasted a tad darker than 2011's blend. It has a beautiful choc-nutty aroma and has plenty of body. The herbacious pallete typical of an Indonesian espresso is still there, as is the cup sweetness that makes the espresso perfect as a single/double shot, or as the base for a latte or cappuccino.
