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| Mr. Aylele |
Wandering Goat Coffee Company
Varietal: Heirloom
Process: Washed and Sun Dried
Flavor: Round, juicy and sweet with lemon, lime and floral flavors.
When sitting down to write my first coffee review it seemed only suitable to start with the coffee roastery I work at. Of course I stand behind our beans as being some of the best (and underrated) coffee in the Pacific Northwest, but I also think that our coffee roaster has a unique ability to roast precisely for each and every type of coffee bean, as opposed to just sticking to predetermined roast profiles. Not one coffee roasted at the Wandering Goat is simply put into a roast profile and considered finished. Each batch of coffee is cupped for taste and adjusted from there. The idea behind our roasting philosophy is to get each and every unique flavor from the individual batch of green beans. As with wine, we are more interested in showing the unique terroir while still creating an amazingly drinkable cup of coffee.
The Eithiopia Yirgacheffee Aylele is a prime example of highlighting terroir while still encompassing a coffee you can drink over and over. Coming from Cafe Imports, this batch of Ethiopian coffee is a bit more unique because it is what is considered a micro-lot. While the majority of coffees we source are small batches from small farms, it is more uncommon to have a coffee come from only one farm in East Africa. This is due to a variety of reasons including smaller farms, economic stabilitiy, and the ease of joining in successful co-op's. As you can see from the Cafe Imports website, these types of farms are much more common in Central and South America, but it becomes much more rare to have a farm specific coffee from an Ethiopian farm. While this farm is still a member of the YCFCU co-op, this batch of beans has been set aside as a unique micro-lot. In fact, this coffee is specific enough that is is named after the producer, Aylele.
Now let's get to the coffee! I made this coffee in two ways. First I tasted it after being made in Vacuum Pot, and then I tried a "standard" cup made in a Fetco drip brewer here at the Wandering Goat. Both offered a different take on what I found to be a delicious coffee.
Typically, an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is known for it's lemon and citrus qualities. On my first taste, I would certainly notice lemon, but it was mingling so well with the sweet chocolate tones it immediately reminded me a sweet lemon cookie. This is a coffee that I believe it would be a sin to put cream and sugar in, as the sweetness is already so prevalent that I highly recommend it first be enjoyed on its own. As the coffee cooled, more of the sweetness faded away to a more floral chocolate flavor.
The body is light and refreshing. Again, I really don't believe this coffee needs anything added to it as it is such a pleasure to drink. The light body adds to the sweet citrus notes and almost borders on a tea-like quality at times. Especially when the coffee cooled I noticed more of an Earl Grey like aftertaste, which is not uncommon to have a Bergamot flavor in a coffee such as this.
The only thing stopping this from being a 9+ coffee is really nit picking. I thought they aroma was a little underwhelming for such a flavorful coffee, but partly that is due to the delicate nature of the Yirgacheffe. While aroma isn't generally a make-or-break aspect of coffee, it is still an aspect that many people react to immediately and is worth noting.
Taste: 9.5/10
Body: 9/10
Aroma: 8.5/10
Overall: 9/10
So hopefully you enjoy this coffee as much as I did. Ordering should be available online as well, with a new website due to be finished by the holiday season.
And have no fear, the next reviewed coffee will be from a different coffee roaster, I promise!
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