Starbucks Reserve Guatemala Antigua Coffee Review
Starbucks Reserve has a pretty phenomenal track record with roasting amazing, rare coffees. There have not been many coffee roasts they offer that have not hit the mark for me.
The fact that each one of their offerings is so unique and sought after only drives my desire to try each new offering they have.
This particular Guatemalan coffee really stood out to me because of its flavor profile. It is one of the few coffees that I actually tasted in a cafe prior to purchasing.
ABOUT
This is a fully washed coffee from Antigua, Guatemala. It is a blend of two varietals - Bourbon and Caturra.
Starbucks indicates that this is a small-lot coffee. I wish I knew what that designation meant in terms of how much coffee came from an entire harvest, or in the end, how many pounds of coffee were available from this lot.
Regarding this special roast, Starbucks offered the following description on the back of the coffee card attached to the bag:
“Like a road map, Antigua’s worn cobblestone streets point the way toward the steep peaks of its past and its future. Over 100 years ago, the Zelaya family established their farm on the valley’s southern slopes near the Tres Hermanas volcanoes, which have gifted the region with some of the richest soils for growing coffee. As one of the first coffee exporters from Guatemala, the family’s deep passion for their crop was passed down as a rite of passage, a legacy inherited by fourth-generation owner Ricardo. His proud devotion to the Santa Clara Estate lives on in every beloved cup.”
REVIEW
Let’s all raise a cup to Ricardo because this is a damn fine cup of coffee.
Starbucks notes that the flavors in this cup include “well-balanced caramel, milk chocolate and apricot flavors.”
I was totally drawn to this coffee after experiencing the near-overpowering flavor notes of milk chocolate in this coffee. It is a coffee that I actually safeguarded because I did not want to drink through it too quickly.
All drinks used to test this roast were made using my Breville Bambino espresso machine.