Alchohol-Free Limoncello

Episode 46

Coffee: Nicaraguan El Limoncillo Pacamara Peaberry
Special Notes: Matagalpa, Dr Erwin Mierich
Cup Profile: Zesty, big body, controlled  sweetness, herby, parsley, funky, overripe fruit

OK, so it’s limoncillo, but close enough.
As much as everyone wants summer to last, I think there is no denying that autumn has arrived, and so this week’s coffee is well timed indeed.  The front palate is rich overripe fruits, with dates definitely springing to mind (disclaimer: I very rarely eat dates and had some two days ago, so that may be why I thought of them).   There is some acidity there as well, but just a hint.

In the mid palate there is a real meatiness like a rich beef stew and yet at the same time it remains light with quite a strong floral note. It is a very pleasing combination.

The finish is smooth and unassuming, neither making the experience or interrupting it.  In some ways I think this is what the ideal finish should be, a gentle fading of the earlier components rather than something new and distinct.  And yet I think I am a sucker for the big finish.  I will need to bare this in mind in the future.

The other component of this coffee which lasted throughout was a really strong buttery almost greasy mouthfeel.  At first it was so strong that I wondered if it was contamination from my earlier slice of toast, but it lasted through the whole cup, so I guess it really was the coffee.  Perhaps a bit too overpowering, but mouthfeel is a really big part of what I look for in a coffee, so to get something so distinctive is a very pleasurable experience.  I just hope it wasn’t the toast all along!