A special once a year round up of 2012 coffee into a nice little list of awesomeness.
Its a long video (about 28 mins) thats why I did it as a video.
But if you don’t have time to watch I also did an audioboo
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Well I bent the rules slightly just to slip a second Ethiopian in, there could easily have been three or four more. I wouldn’t make any claims for this being a ‘best of’ list, more a list of the coffees that stuck in my memory. The list is in no real order although La Ilusion is probably at number one. Anyway, loads of great coffees this year and almost certainly loads more that I never got around to drinking but fwiw here’s my ten.
El Salvador La Ilusion Natural
Just immense. Amazingly complex, spicy, a touch of funk, liquorice, dark fruits. A coffee that lingered long on the taste buds and in the memory. A premium price but worth every penny, sadly it seems we shall not see its like again.
Breakfast Bomb 2012 MkIV
I’m not much of a blend drinker on the whole but BB has long been a regular purchase if not generally a top 10 contender. This particular version though was particularly outstanding. The fruit and funk of Limoncillo naturals just seemed to pair up beautifully with the earthiness of the Sumatran. One to make you remember why blends are a good idea ( as well as a way to slip the Limoncillo pacamara naturals into an already crowded list).
Kenya Karatina
All HasBean’s Kenyans were pretty darn tootin’. This one was the pick of the bunch though. Clean as a whistle and bright as a button, all lovely sweet and softly acidic oranginess. When we finally had a summer this year this was the coffee for it.
Nicaragua Finca Moma Mina
Sometimes IMM turns up trumps with a coffee I’d otherwise never have tried. Normally descriptors such as ‘tea-like’ and ‘floral’ are hardly ones to get my pulse racing but in this case I’d have been wrong. Another summery coffee light, refreshing and very drinkable.
Tanzania Mbeya Hope B Fully Washed
Sweet, fudge, good acidity and some undefinable savouriness. A slightly curious coffee but complex and utterly delicious. It’s good to see new regions coming on-stream especially with such great coffees as this.
Bolivia Finca David Vilca
With the unfortunate events at Machacamarca, Finca David Vilca looks set to take over the mantle of (almost) everyone’s favourite Bolivian. Sweet milk chocolate and nuts with hints of spice a nice balancing kick of fruit acidity. Complex but easy drinking with it.
Brazil Fazenda Lagoa Yellow Icatu Pulped Natural
Caramel, nuts butter, popcorn. Not much to say about this one just a classic Brazilian.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Wote Natural
There could have been any number of Ethiopians in the top 10. This one though was a real classic Ethiopian natural. Funkier than driving to Funkytown on the funky bus with George Clinton and James Brown with blueberries and lemons. A big, big coffee but not without a certain elegance that takes it away from the wilder examples of Ethiopian naturals we’ve seen this year
Ethiopia Kebel Konga Washed
For me this one was all about the peaches. Sure, there was plenty of other stuff going on that gradually revealed itself as you drank but really the smell and taste was just like sticking your face in a drippingly ripe peach. But less messy.
Colombia Finca La Vega
Colombia almost didn’t get a coffee into the top 10 this year. Plenty of OK coffee but nothing much that stood out until this one turned up at almost the last minute.
Love it Chris thank you for joining in on it