We tasted some coffees at work today. Here are the results…
The Coffees
- Five Senses - Earth (Blend) There are no subtleties in this cup – earthy, forest-floor like flavours, lots of body, low acidity and a lingering after-taste make this one a versatile coffee that can be enjoyed either as espresso or through milk.
- Five Senses - Harmony (Blend) Harmonising squeaky green Fairtrade Organic beans in a smooth symphony of rich cocoa, this blend has fresh overtones that resonate across the palate, leaving you lingering, wantonly, for just one more cup…
- Five Senses - Purosa (Papua New Guinean) Blackcurrant and mulberry aromas. Liquorice undertones with a hint of dried apricots. Buttery mouth-feel, long lasting after-taste.
- Five Senses - Harrar (Ethiopian) The blueberry aroma is a classic characteristic for all Harrar’s. This fragrance translates to deep berry fruit on the palate with persistent sweetness and velvety mouthfeel.)
- Gravity Organic (Blend) Full-bodied, smooth and creamy blend, highlighting delicious chocolate and toffee characteristics with delicate fruit flavours and a rich, long after-taste.
The Results
In tasting the coffees, we stuck to espressos in order to get the full flavour and aroma of each bean. 1) and 4) received joint first place. 1) was deemed to be a good morning coffee, easy on the taste buds and an all round good balance of taste and aroma without being too overpowering. Suitable for someone who might have 4+ espressos a day.
4) rich in flavour, this bean wouldn’t suit a heavy espresso drinker but would be fine for one who had 2-3 shots a day. Any more than this and it might become too overpowering.
There was no particular consensus on the order of 2) and 3).
2) and 3) were both much stronger and more bitter. It would be unlikely that espresso drinkers would have more than 1-2 of these a day and the taste might become too much over time.
5) came last, having no aroma and little taste.
In choosing which of 1) or 4) to go with, we tried them both with milk. 1) with milk had a slightly nutty flavour and was quite pleasant. 4) with milk has a sweeter taste and is an all round great coffee for an office of mainly milk coffee drinkers.
4) won this round, with 1) coming an exceedingly close second. The tasters agreed that we should investigate the option of purchasing a second grinder so that we can have both beans available.