Starbucks Reserve Tanzania Southern Highlands, reviewed

Starbucks Reserve’s Tanzania Southern Highlands is one of my current favorite reserve coffees at the moment. On paper, it looks like it would be a solid medium roast coffee that has some typical flavors that you might expect to find in African coffees – and this is true, but the coffee far exceeded any flavor expectations I had before I tried it. The coffee has a bold, tangy berry flavor that makes me think of summer and fruit desserts. It does have a chocolaty smoothness to it, but I would say that it is pretty refreshing even when it is served hot. This coffee is also a certified Fair Trade coffee.

I’ve mostly been drinking this coffee hot, but since the weather has really been heating up in Southern California lately I have been opting for iced coffee more than usual. And this coffee is great over ice, and I would say that the citrus notes come out even more strongly when it is brewed strong and served cold. I was pretty surprised at how intense the flavors were on my first sip! The coffee did mellow out a little and get even smoother as it sat for a few minutes, and ended up being an excellent iced coffee choice for a hot day.