April 2013 Tasting Box

Oakland, California

Usually, the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX) would prevent single-source Ethiopian coffees (such as the exquisite batch you hold in your hands) from ever seeing the light of day. But this ain't no usual coffee. This shimmering Yirgacheffe was just so singular, so colorful, so freakin' tasty, that it's exporters found a way to deliver it straight to you. And you'll be glad they did, because these beans have been hand-selected to be far higher quality than could ever be bought on the ECX. This bright, iridescent coffee opens with floral aromas that introduce candy-like layers of sugar and brulee'd lemon, accented with notes of bergamot and black tea.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  Keffa Cooperative

• Origin

  Yirgacheffe, Ethopia

• Varieties

  Heirloom (Ethiopian)

• Elevation

  1900-2300 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Floral aromas lead into candy-like layers of sugar and lemon, accented with notes of bergamot and black tea.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Mom was right – cleanliness is next to godliness. And that's the attitude at PT Toarco Jaya. Most Indonesian beans are allowed to ferment with their sugary pulp intact, a process that leads to rich, complex flavors. Still, it's often difficult to eliminate another distinct taste – dirt. But these beans keep it clean, prepared with all pulp (and dirt) washed off. The result made our taste buds jump for joy – finally, a distinctly Indonesian coffee without that distinctly Indonesian aftertaste. Expertly roasted by Dogwood Coffee, this luscious, herbaceous brew compliments its round body with earthy notes of lemon, plum, and spice that finish fresh and clean.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  PT Toarco Jaya

• Origin

  Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia

• Varieties

  Typica

• Elevation

  1200-1900 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  A luscious, round body is highlighted by earthy notes of lemon, plum, spices and herbs.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Colombia's coastal mountains are rich with indigenous culture. And thanks to Productores Agroecologicos Santa Marta y Perija (ANEI), these cultures have been rescued from near extinction. Since 1995, ANEI has brought 600 indigenous families into a sustainable farming cooperative. Together, they've revitalized the local economy and helped foster traditional culture in everyday life, with more and more members returning to traditional garb, language, and ceremonial practice. They've also made a damn good coffee, with a sweet opening of turbinado sugar that discovers a candied orange acidity tinged with honeydew, then finishes sweet as strawberry jam.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  Productores Agroecologicos Santa Marta y Perija, farmed by 600 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Perija, Colombia

• Varieties

  Caturra, Colombia

• Elevation

  1100-1700 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  This lovely coffee opens with the sweetness of turbinado sugar. Notes of honeydew balance a round, candied orange acidity. It finishes sweet like strawberry preserves.