Greenwell Estate Kona Coffee, reviewed

One of the most memorable coffee experiences I’ve had was going out to visit the Greenwell Plantation on the big island of Hawaii. Not only did I get to taste coffee cherries right off the tree, but I got to taste some of my favorite Kona coffee in one of the freshest batches you can get. I got this batch of Greenwell Estate Private Reserve Kona Coffee from Sea Island and I have to say that they make very quick work of the shipping and – aside from the lovely Hawaiian weather – you’re not missing anything by making the coffee at home and not traveling out to the plantation.

The Greenwell Estate coffee is earthy, sweet and tangy. It is really rich tasting and full bodied, and actually reminds me a lot of red wine, although probably better. I’d make this a daily brew if only I could pick it up at my local store, instead of having to have it shipped!

For other fans of Kona coffee, I previously bought green beans from Greenwell Estate and roasted them at home with good results. A fun project if you have the time and outdoor space!

Trader Joe’s Joe Coffee

Trader Joe’s Joe Coffee appears to be the supermarket chain’s new house blend. It’s not a stretch to guess this, given the name, but another tell-tell factor is the price. This 14-oz can was just $3.99 (at my local TJs, prices may vary). Their coffees are usually a good deal, but this is easily the most affordable option on the shelf. As the house blend, Joe’s is designed to appeal to as many coffee drinkers as possible. It’s a medium-roast coffee, with a medium-low acidity and a medium body. There are notes of  chocolate and some woodsiness, but it’s overall just a very smooth and drinkable cup that isn’t entirely remarkable. That’s not a bad thing! It means that it hits its mark as an everyday coffee that will appeal to a wide audience  – and at the price point it’s at, the potential audience is pretty big.

New Caledonia Coffee, reviewed

New Caledonia coffee comes from – you guessed it – New Caledonia, in Island in the South Pacific. These beans came from the Domaine de Kouandji estate. Like some other pacific island coffees, this one is fairly rare, with production of just 1000 kg per year, and it has some very unique qualities to it. The first thing you’ll notice is that the beans are very small, almost half or 1/3 of the size of your average coffee bean. Another distinctive feature (one that you might not notice) is that this coffee is very low in caffeine content, less than half of the average for other Arabica varieties at about .6%.

The coffee itself is very interesting. It has a creamy, hazelnut note to both the smell of the beans and to the body of the coffee, reminiscent of very milky chocolate or gianduja. There is also a little bit of an herbal note to its finish, and since the coffee is very smooth and light bodied, it comes close to a mellow, lingering black tea finish. It also has some sweet notes in it, like dried fruit. It’s extremely drinkable black and seems like a good choice for a breakfast coffee, where it won’t be paired with foods that may overpower it.

(STARBUCKS)RED Whole Bean Coffee, reviewed

(Starbucks)RED is a whole bean coffee that Starbucks introduced to support the (PRODUCT) RED charity, a charity that partners with various retailers to raise money through the sale of special products that goes towards providing treatment for children and adults living with HIV in Africa. In the case of (Starbucks)RED, $1 per pound of this blend goes towards the charity, so you get good coffee and support a good cause all in one cup.

The coffee itself is a blend of Rwandan and Ethiopian coffees that is supposed to evoke some of the classic characteristics of African coffees. It is bold and smooth, with fairly low acidity, and notes of citrus and a sweet spiciness. The spiciness actually seemed to hint at the sweet-spicy combination of fruitcake, which is not too sweet but fairly rich tasting from all the dried fruit in it. The coffee also had a slight bitterness to it, like the pith of a citrus fruit, but it was subtle and made the coffee a little more interesting.

Sea Island Coffee Royal Tonga Coffee, reviewed

As you might suspect, Royal Tonga Coffee comes from the Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific. The coffee is a rare one and there is only one company, South Seas Coffee, that commercially produces and sells Tongan coffee. Just over 2 tons of coffee is produced and exported every year  – a figure that might sound like a lot until you compare it to the more than 55,000 tons exported from Kenya annually.

Tongan coffee is grown close to sea level and, as a result, has a unique element to its flavor profile: a hint of the sea. The coffee has a hint of a salty, woodsy element to it that reminded me of the small of driftwood at the beach. It has a very full, medium-bodied flavor with distinct notes of leather and a bit of spice as you finish. The coffee has a very round flavor, with only a bit of mild acidity to it. It’s very unusual, but also very drinkable and tasty. I think this is a great breakfast coffee that needs no sweetener or cream to complement it.

You can buy it online from Sea Islands Coffee.