Kona and Jamaica are both very rare and hence, quite pricey but during the holidays, sometimes we splurge. I visit Kona once or twice a year 'cupping' many of the small 'mauka' (high grown) coffee farms. I just returned from 'the Big Island' (Nov. 09) and we are excited about the new crop coffees. In many micro climates of Kona the rainfall has been less than usual so the bean size is a bit smaller this year. But the flavor is what we expect from our only American producer. Kona is a smooth, medium bright, elegant coffee with a room filling aroma.
Ethiopian Longberry Harrar and Yemen Mocca - I can get into trouble for grouping these two together but here goes anyway. This is the region from where coffee arguably began. Either on the
Northeast side of the Red Sea which is Yemen or on the Southwest side where we find Ethiopian Longberry Harrar. Not all of these coffees are created equal but the very best examples offer a unique flavor profile. They posess a wild racy aroma with a lingering finish. Every sip takes you back in time to an era when the only coffee availablein the world came into Europe from the port of Mocha on the Yemen coast. Thats right folks, 'Mocha' does not refer to chocolate nuances in the olfactory senses but to the port of origin. So give them a try.
Bolivia (organic, fair trade, shade grown) - The road east from LaPaz Bolivia cuts a brave treacherous path through the Andes, which qualifies it as one of the 10 most dangerous roads on the planet. Twelve hours later you reach the coffee which grows on the eastern slopes of the Andes. I only wonder and marvel at how they get those trucks loaded with coffee to a port where they can be shipped to us up north. I'm glad they do though because Bolivia is becoming one of my favorites. It is an unpretentious, smooth and thick brew...as solid as the peaks surrounding it.
Colombia - Usually we let Juan Valdez do the P.R. for this country but every now and then the old magic of Colombia returns to the cup. Our Colombia is well balanced, smooth and slightly acidic. It comes from a region in the east call Bucaramunga.
Sumatra, Gayo Mtn. - (organic, shade grown) From Bali, it was a four hour flight to the Northern Sumatran city of Medan and then a grueling 10 hour drive up into the remote Gayo Mountains. A brutal journey, but worth it. I have not seen an area better endowed to grow great coffee. There are light rains nearly every day with cool nights and fertile, volcanic soil, All these factors combine to create a full body, medium bright classic Sumatra with a lingering finish.
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