George Howell Coffee As a coffee lover, there’s nothing quite like trying a new brew that surprises your taste buds. George Howell Coffee’s Las Palomas is one such coffee that kept my tongue on its toes with its unique flavor profile. While the tasting notes listed tangerine, limeade, and milk chocolate, my experience was partially the opposite of those descriptors. The aroma had milk chocolate notes, but the flavor itself was bursting with bright citrus – tangerine and limeade for sure. I’ve mentioned in the past that most citrus notes taste similar to me, and that was mostly true here as well. Interestingly, this flavor profile is almost identical to one from my previous review, Guadalupe Miramar. The key difference being that the flavor in Las Palomas is “limeade” whereas it was “limes” for Guadalupe Miramar. When it came to tasting, the difference between limeade and lime was noticeable, as I felt I definitely got a slight lime flavor that I felt was absent in the Guadalupe Miramar coffee. One last quirky note about this coffee. I couldn’t help noticing that the smell of the coffee brewing in my french press had a weirdly familiar acidic smell. It honestly reminded me of an Italian red sauce being heated in a pan. Strange, but delicious.If you’re a fan of vibrant, fruity coffees, Las Palomas is definitely one to try. Let’s shift our focus to the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala, where this coffee was born. Nestled in the soaring Cuchumatanes mountains, which extend along the western edge of Guatemala near the Mexican border, this area has been producing exceptional coffee for centuries. The region’s name, from the Nahuatl words “Huehue” meaning ancient and “Tenango” meaning walled place, hints at its rich history and origins as home to the Maya civilization. Huehuetenango’s unique climate and geography create the perfect environment for growing coffee. The region sits at elevations ranging from 4,600 to 6,600 feet above sea level, with a cool, misty climate moderated by the towering mountain ranges. The nutrient-rich volcanic soil provides a fertile foundation. These conditions stress the coffee plants just the right amount, allowing them to develop a beautifully bright acidity and complexity of flavor. Many consider Huehuetenango among the finest coffee-producing regions in the world, with its beans frequently scoring high marks for quality. Las Palomas showcases the signature vivid, fruit-forward profile characteristic of this legendary origin. For coffee connoisseurs, brews from Huehuetenango should be at the top of the must-try list.
Author: Coffee Enjoyer
Guadalupe Miramar
George Howell Coffee Normally I like to have a few cups before I write a review, but the pourover I had yesterday did not have a bag of beans to go. I had to write these notes down in the coffee shop; and it was another great showing from George Howell. The Guadalupe Miramar from George Howell Coffee is a stellar example of a Mexican coffee with complex flavor notes. As you taste this light roast, bright citrus notes of tangerine and lime jump out, balanced by undertones of milk chocolate. This helps create an earthy quality that gives the coffee a full-bodied mouthfeel, similar to black tea. This combo makes it an ideal coffee for those seeking a bright yet smooth cup. Mexican coffee is renowned for its high quality, often exhibiting acidity and depth of flavor. The Guadalupe Miramar hails from Oaxaca, a region celebrated for producing some of the country’s finest beans. The climate and soil of the Oaxaca highlands provide perfect growing conditions for arabica varieties. Mexican coffee farmers have long taken pride in traditional cultivation methods that enhance the character of these lovingly tended crops. This level of care shines through in the Guadalupe Miramar’s distinct profile.
Costa Rica Tarrazu
Wegmans Supermarkets If you’re a coffee fan like me, you’re always on the hunt for beans that deliver a truly unique and delicious flavor experience. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the grocery store I have been going to since 2016 had one hidden in plain sight. Wegmans’ Costa Rica Tarrazu checks all the boxes with its creamy, buttery smoothness and unexpected notes of pepper. This single origin coffee hails from the fertile Tarrazu region in Costa Rica’s central valley. The description on the golden bag promises a “creamy with a buttery finish” profile, and it absolutely delivers on that rich, velvety mouthfeel. But what sets it apart for me is the delightful hint of fresh pepper that emerges, complementing the buttery notes with a bright, vegetal spiciness. The peppery flavor is unmistakable without being overwhelming; not a harsh black pepper kick, but more of a vibrant, crisp bell pepper or jalapeño type of flavor. It has that distinctive fresh capsicum taste, slightly grassy with a mild fruity tanginess. This pepper note adds a lively lift to the smooth, creamy body of the coffee. This combo creates a multi-layered flavor profile that makes this one of the best coffees I’ve tried. The fresh pepper highlight is a unique accent to the rich, but more common base notes. The Tarrazu area is renowned as one of Costa Rica’s premier coffee growing regions, located on the slopes of the Talamanca mountains at elevations around 1,200-1,700 meters. The high altitude, ample rainfall, and volcanic loam soils create an ideal environment for cultivating exceptional arabica beans. Costa Rican coffees are prized for their bright acidity, full body, and clean finish – all characteristics embodied by this Tarrazu offering from the Wegmans brand. For coffee newbies and connoisseurs alike, this Costa Rica Tarrazu is an excellent choice to explore the nuanced flavors of a high-quality single origin. Its smooth yet complex taste profile showcases why this small Central American nation’s beans are so esteemed worldwide. If you spot that shiny gold bag at your local Wegmans, do yourself a favor and take these remarkable roasts for a spin.
Colombia Super Premium
Wegmans Supermarkets If you were fortunate enough to try the Colombia Super Premium coffee from Wegmans’ premium line before it was discontinued, you were treated to a truly special cup. This single-origin Colombian coffee lived up to its super premium billing with rich, layered flavors that warmed the palate with delicious flavor combinations. The tasting notes promised champagne, mango, lily, and maple syrup – an intriguing mix of flavors. And that description rang pretty true. The beans themselves had a powerfully sweet aroma. The maple flavor was present and strong which I believe is one of the reasons this brew had little bitterness. While it is one of the sweeter coffees I have tried, it was not overwhelmingly sweet. The champagne notes were strange, but not in a bad way. There was a slight “dry” aftertaste which I attribute to that tasting note, and it was pleasant. As for the other two flavor profiles; they were harder to get. Personally, many fruit notes in coffees start to taste the same to me, so that could be why I didn’t pick up any mango. As for lilies, I can’t remember what they smell like and certainly have never eaten one, so I can’t really speak to that flavor either. This smooth coffee hailed from the Nariño Department in southwestern Colombia near the border with Ecuador. Nariño is renowned for producing some of Colombia’s finest and most distinctive coffees. The high elevation, nutrient-rich volcanic soils, and skilled micro-climate cultivation all contribute to the region’s exceptional Arabica beans. Whether you appreciate single-origins or blends, Colombian coffees are beloved worldwide for their well-balanced profiles, rich bodies, and signature bright fruitiness. This super premium offering exemplified those national traits, while bringing its own unique champagne dryness to help offset the decadent maple and mango sweetness of the cup. A rare specialty treat that, sadly, may be gone for good.
Dota Vienna
George Howell Coffee For my latest coffee review, I decided to try the Dota Vienna roast from renowned roaster George Howell Coffee in Boston. This bean is from the Dota canton of Costa Rica and is roasted in the Viennese style. Right out of the bag, I could smell the rich dark chocolate aroma. The tasting notes promised a “dark chocolate-cherry core” and a “smooth acidity” reminiscent of orange – intriguing flavors from the lush Dota canton in Costa Rica’s Central Valley region. As I sipped my cup, I found the chocolate notes to be prominent, with just a hint of cherry rounding out the flavors. However, I struggled to detect much citrus-acidity at all, let alone the orange notes described. Instead, the mouthfeel leaned more toward a velvety, rounded body without any particularly bright or zippy qualities. For me, it tasted like a nice cozy brew that would be perfect for weekend morning soccer watching. The Dota canton (like a state in the US) is located in the Central Valley, one of Costa Rica’s prime coffee-growing regions known for producing excellent arabica beans. The valley’s high elevation, fertile volcanic soil, and cool temperatures create ideal conditions for cultivating flavorful coffees. By adding some geographical context around where these beans were grown, it helps explain the coffee’s flavor origins. The Viennese roasting style used for these beans may explain the more subdued acidity levels compared to a lighter roast. Viennese or “Vienna” roasts are designed to strike a middle ground between light and dark roasts. The beans are roasted longer and to a deeper color than a standard City roast, but not quite as dark as a French or Italian roast. This longer roasting time allows the sugars to caramelize more, contributing to a richer, sweeter flavor profile with lower acidity. The Vienna style provides a nice balance between bright and deep notes. So if you’re a fan of smooth, chocolatey coffees without too much acidic bite, definitely give the Dota Vienna from George Howell a try. George Howell in general is a great place for you to expand your coffee palette. At the bottom of this post I will include a link to the ‘all coffees’ section of their website. From there, you can use the country filter to explore the globe-spanning regions that George Howell Coffee sources from. For those learning about coffee, it serves as a great example of how roast levels can drastically impact a bean’s flavor profile. With this Vienna roast, the end result emphasized the smooth and sweet side of the coffee from the chocolate and cherry. https://georgehowellcoffee.com/collections/all-coffee
Tanzanian Peaberry
Canopy Coffee Roasters For those who love coffee and are always looking for new taste experiences, the Tanzanian Peaberry from Canopy Coffee Roasters in Penn Yan, New York is one that you cannot miss. This medium-bodied coffee has a richly intricate aroma and flavor that is sure to take hold of your senses. It starts off slightly acidic with notes of black tea, honey, and lemon interwoven. The black tea essence becomes more evident as you take more sips, or cups. I personally didn’t even notice until my 3rd cup. The website also mentions honey as a flavor profile and this hint of sweetness adds another layer of complexity to the brew’s profile. To be honest, I don’t know if I was truly tasting it, or simply expecting to taste it. People may find this coffee even more fascinating due to the fact that it is derived from peaberries, which is a rare type of coffee bean where the two semi-circular halves do not separate as they develop leading to a smaller and denser bean which is valued for its potent flavor. These peaberries have been harvested from rich growing areas in Tanzania, and a picture to help you understand the difference from a regular bean is below. In conclusion, this coffee is a great choice for many coffee drinkers. Whether you want to try your first peaberry brew, or try what I think is an interesting flavor profile; this coffee has something for you to explore.