Ageing gracefully, or Vintage Sumatra

Yesterday my district manager and myself went touring around the stores, this is our usual practice - to keep in touch with Store Coffee Masters and to support them as much as we can. My last port of call was St. John's Wood store, which is also the only Black Apron Store in my district. 

Now, Black Apron Stores are shops that sell (surprise, surprise!) Black Apron Coffee, that is speciality coffees, rare non-mass-produced beans, delicate and exotic, for an ultimate classy coffee experience. (Black Apron is also a give away sign of a Coffee Master - that crazy person, constantly high on caffeine, pursuing you to find a lemon meringue aroma in a cup, that smells of - well, coffee!)

This time of the year Black Apron offering happened to be Aged Sumatra, the beans that small amounts of going into our signature blend - Christmas Blend. It retails at hefty almost 9 pounds, however, it is worth every penny, if you think about how much time and care went into production of this wonder! 

They say: "A bold, exotic coffee from a land of tigers and spices." I have to stop here for a moment, because you won't find another person, so painfully obsessed with tigers as you humble servant. This short sentence, this simple marketing trick of marrying a real obtainable product, available to you now, with a notion of some far and totally impossible destination (paradise with tigers and spices mixed into delightful concoction!) sold me instantly! " Aged coffee, it's said, originated aboard sailing ships laden with spices and coffee beans as they made their long voyage home from Dutch Indonesian colonies to Europe. Exposed to exotic hardwoods, spices, ocean spray and extreme temperatures, the unroasted beans acquired intriguing qualities. Inspired by these maritime voyages, we carefully aged this coffee up to five years in its native environment. Our boldest cup to date, Aged Sumatra possesses an exuberant* cedary aroma, a syrupy mouthfeel and untamed flavour." ROAR_R_R_R_R!!!

Beans come in a beautiful bronze coloured tin with a little carefully composed booklet. I think it makes a fantastic gift for Christmas. (Tin alone is invaluable for keeping memorabilia from far land exotic travels or jewels). 

Tasting notes

Aroma is exotic indeed, reminiscent of a pinewoods, mossy and moist, smashed leaves and maple syrope. 

Not as "green" and herby as conventional Sumatra. The body is pleasantly full and engaging, very balanced and unusual. Has some characteristically Sumatran spiciness, however, more delicate and complex. 

Really nice cup! 

* I had to look up this word in dictionary :-) It means "lively and cheerful".  

  

Symphony of flavours

Somehow, everytime I taste coffee, some music piece spings into my mind, usually of classical nature(I have a soft spot for good old stuff).

Whilst single origins I tend to associate with solo instrumental pieces, e.g. cello, piano, sax, multi-regional blends bring to my mind golden orchestra standards with its poliphonics and layers and layers of tembre.

Whenever I have Sumatra or Sulawesi, Beethoven's sonatas are blasting in my head. Colombia is early Mozart, crisp, clear and playful, like a spring in the forest.


House Blend - is Tchaikovsky's "Flower Valse" from "Sleeping Beauty" and Guatemala Antigua - guitar flamenco, played on the streets of Barcelona.
Arabian Mocha Sanani, although being a single origin coffee, is so intense and almost intoxicating, winelike, that it reminds me of Wagner's creations, heavy and fierce.


None of our line up is Chopin for me... I am searching for the brilliance and versatility of flavour, fragility and delicacy of aroma and unbearable lightness and meloncholy in the cup.... Something slightly sad, but life assuring and impossibly pleasant. Shall I find this perfection?

PS. When I drink tea, it's always about Rachmaninoff! Tea drinking is very traditional Russian pastime and Rachmaninoff's concerts, heavily indulged in Russian folk music, are sheer delight!

Algerian Coffee Stores - coffee heaven

I have always known about this shop in Soho's Old Compton Street since passing it few years ago. I even popped in there out of curiosity couple of times, however, my passion for coffee wasn't as consuming at that time and I always left the store empty-handed. 
Not this time though. This time I was mesmerized by the whole plenty of coffees on offer, and not just coffees, but also all the machinery and brewing equipment required and more and more gadgets and devices that would drive a true coffee lover into fragrant paradise. All the silver espresso machines, french presses and shelves and shelves of glass cilinders with shiny dark beans. 

Guys behind the counter were extremely nice and very helpful, although a bit overwhelmed on the encounter of a coffee expert (that is your humble servant, he he). They struggled a bit  to come up with a match for my brief and called the manager to help. Here is our insane exchange:

- Hi, I am looking for something new to challenge my taste buds and my imagination... Not too dark roast, since I don't appreciate smokiness in my coffee and something rather Asia/Pacific or African, then Latin American, because I am not very keen on high acidity... Mayby some blend?...

- Urm... How about Arabic with spices? It is very unusual cup, with strong spicy flavour, very original character.

- Yeah, but I tend to enjoy more just pure brew...

- Maybe, then blend of African coffees?

- Naaa, I really like zestiness and grapefruit notes of Africans, but in summer. In autumn I incline towards fuller, thicker body and syropy-er pour... 

- Then Boston Blend...

- Too dark!

- Brazilian...

- Too harsh!

- Right! This is what you like - "..."! If you liked Sulawesi, you like  that. 
(Zhanna's note: Damn it! I forgot the name! Have to come back to find out! )

  So, here it is.

Tasting notes:

 The initial aroma is reminiscent of Sumatra - some herby, hot mud notes, then it takes you to the next dimension with smell of peach meringue and dried cranberry and then eventually I got a bit of ashiness, which is good for me in moderation. (The bean looked very dark and shiny, roasted to perfection).

With the first sip I wanted to run to that shop and kiss the guy who sold me this coffee thrice on both cheeks!
It is genius! After inhaling aroma, you kind of prepare yourself for a rather rich, decadent and somewhat overpowering cup, but what you  get is very balanced, very clear taste, unexpectedly light in body, with just a hint of punch, that have been skilllfully removed, like a remote echo of cannons, charging in the far. 

This coffee delivered on every level for me - it has a character, but so delicate and fragile that makes you want to cherish it and drink it on its own and very often. 

I will definitely come back to Algerian Coffee Stores, maybe even for a bag of Blue Mountain (if I'll be fortunate enough to win lottery. Have a look at the price!)