Aida’s Grand Reserve – certified organic
Origin: Santa Ana, El Salvador
Producer: Aida Batlle
Farm: Fincas Mauritania, Las Alpes & Kilimanjaro
Varieties: 100% peaberry Bourbon
Elevation: 1400 – 1600 meters
Harvest: January – March 2009
Process: Washed
Roaster: Counter Culture Coffee – Durham, NC
Roast Date: October 28, 2009
Cup Date: 10/30/2009
Catadors: Nikki, Ilenia, Lindsay, Jeremy, Lamarie, Kimmy, Jenny, Rebecca, Stephanie
Fragrances:
Heath bar, caramel?, sour chocolate?, orange, apples, cheesecake, papaya, tropical, berry, fruity, grape rollup, chocolate, sugary – like sugarcane, citrus, ginger, grapes, vanilla, cinnamon, caramel, sweet, pleasant,
Aromas:
Perfume, candy – werthers?, syrup, cinnamon buns, browned pizza dough, fruity (x2), Ikea food court, cinnabuns and logan berries, heavy with earthy grape, apples, cinnamon, muted, light, cherry, sweet (x2), nutmeg, smooth, cozy, happy
Break:
Sugary dried cranberries, much the same but with fruity notes being way strong, trail mix,
Brightness:
Acidic, bright (x2), so so bright, dull, low acid (x2), tangy, strong but even toned positive notes, bright, very bright (x2), sour
Flavor:
Citrus (x2), grapefruit, nut, sweet (x2), watery, acorn, bitter nuts, pumpkin spice, allspice, fruits like raisins, fruity (x2), if fruit soda was a coffee, edibles, lime juice, sweet (x2), peppery, sour, tart, flowery, trail mix, citrusy, tangy, rolling
Body:
Medium (x2), not heavy, coats tongue, filmy, lighter than expected, light (x4), juicy (x2), herbal tea, full, average – not too thick or thin, refreshing
Aftertaste:
Nuts, good, sesame?, nutty, burnt, raisin bread, grainy, cereal-like, transparent, even, good, apple cider, lightly carbonated apple cider, sour, trail mix, mild, sweet, loving, grandma’s house
Descriptions:
A coffee truly made for the sweet tooth, with a fragrance of peaches, tropical dried fruits and, surprisingly, notes of caramel and white chocolate. This coffee coats the palette with bright and juicy body with intense mixed berry flavors.
A strong presence of berries throughout, beginning with a rich, grape aroma and strong even tones.
Group Description:
This unique & complex cup of coffee has an abundance of fragrances including grape, vanilla & cinnamon. The aroma is a pleasant, sweet smell with hints of nutmeg. After tasting this delicious and fruity cup of coffee you will be left with a cornucopia of flavors lingering on your palate wanting more.
Jay’s Notes:
Sometimes a coffee makes such an impression that you never forget it. For me, it was the 2003 crop of Ethiopia Harrar that Stumptown Coffee was serving that year and perhaps for our baristas it will be the 2009 Aida’s Grand Reserve.
Chock full of fruits and complexity, it literally has been months since we cupped this coffee and its’ flavor has been ringing through ever since. At many of our group cuppings, someone has referred to our tasting of this coffee as a sort of hallmark moment of which to compare all coffees. Does the coffee we’re tasting today give as lasting an impression as the Grand Reserve? That’s a tough reputation to match for any coffee.
Much has been written about Aida Batlle’s tremendous work producing tasty coffees and this years’ AGR is testament to that work. Bold and impressive, I put this same coffee on the cupping table a week later and it still came out the clear winner, with some of our baristas pinpointing the coffee and identifying it by name – it’s that remarkable.
The sad thing about this coffee is that it’s almost gone and we will be purchasing from Counter Culture’s final roast of the Aida’s Grand Reserve on January 18, 2010. Once the coffee arrives, we’ll have it until we run out and then that will be that. When it’s gone, the only thing left to do will be to pray to the coffee gods that the 2010 crop will be equal (or better) and bide your time until next fall…