I think this might actually be one of the first coffees I ever had from Intelligentsia way back when and this current batch from the Coopedota cooperative is tasting sweet and clean with notes of tangerine, vanilla, and pear. The Vanilla note is particularly interesting because it comes through in the from of a vanilla spice or a raw vanilla scent, rather than sweet vanilla flavor.
The sweetness is light and sparkling in this coffee, so I would say the tangerine and pear descriptor are pretty accurate. Admittedly, I didn't think this coffee was very interesting at first. However, I accidentally left a cup to cool a bit longer than I usually would and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet and spice complexity combo. The coffee had a great mouthfeel and was interesting and very tasty. This was when it was brewed at:
- 22.1 grams in the 02 size Hario V60 Ceramic using 197*F water
- 60 gram stirred bloom for 30 seconds
- First pour to 200 grams, stir
- Additional pours maintaining that water level in 50 gram increments
- 375 gram yield
- Full brew time 2:45
I didn't get a chance to use this one as espresso, while I was working through the Black Cat Classic, but I do imagine it would hold up nicely for a bright single origin shot.
This coffee is available for $18 for a 12 ounce bag with free shipping on orders over $40.