Kenya Kanjanthi (Ep 31)

This coffee came with some pre-hype courtesy of www.hasblog.co.uk and it didn't disappoint. Definitely the best coffee of the bunch so far (and even though that is only a bunch of 3 at the moment, it will probably be a while before it has been surpassed).

Unfortunately I don't think I have got the best out of this coffee yet in all the styles I drink, and so I am going to refrain from my usual breakdown. To be honest I wanted to play with the format anyway. I might post again later in the week once I feel like I have played a bit more with the variables, and feel more comfortable saying what this coffee can and can't do. I am reaching my caffeine limits for the day, so further playing will have to wait.

I am starting to doubt my nose, as the aromas I have had from this don't seem to go together at all. There was definite lemon as I brewed the mug I am currently drinking (french press), yet when ground it smelt of a rich almost meaty red sauce. And I think that is what makes this coffee so interesting is that these unusual combinations are present in the cup.

I am quite a fan of zingy acidic espresso, and this has it in spades. It is full on melon and lemon in the first hit, and yet builds into a much richer, fuller bodied finish. The best description I get for it is marzipan, which may sound weird, but that is the same description I get when I get a good shot from Monmouth (I never did work out if there is a particular person who pulls the good shots there, but when they get it right they blow away anything I have been capable of at home).

I think this coffee is too nice to have as a latte, so probably wont be trying it again. Where I am wanting to experiment a bit further is in the americano and french press. With both of these, I don't think that I have managed to get the dose right. With my normal proportions, a lot of the zing is missing, and there is an overbearing tea-like finish. Not something I would complain about normally, but it just doesn't live up to what was present in the espresso.

Of course this coffee is so nice in espresso that I don't want to waste too much of it in tuning larger drinks. I don't think it is going to take much fiddling to get it right though, and that will be very much worth it I think. Hopefully I will get some new results worth posting