Starbucks Reserve Malawi Coffee Review
I remember being so drawn to this coffee - primarily due to the red, white, and blue coloration of the card. Whether it is patriotism or something else, I have always loved the colors of red, white and blue together. I mean, I think the flag of France is incredibly beautiful. So, maybe it is just the color combo.
I am glad I bought the coffee, too, because it was just as delicious as I hoped it would be.
ABOUT
According to Starbucks this a fully washed Caturra/Catimor varietal coffee coming from the Mangochi District of Malawi. I’ll admit, I had to do some research to learn where that was. It is definitely worth a look if you are interested!
On the back of the card that came with this coffee, Starbucks offered the following detailed writeup about this delicious coffee:
“The consistently outstanding coffee coming out of Sable Farms is the result of a foundational belief: invest in the farming practices that support the environment and the people who support the farm. Southern Malawi, landlocked and hampered but a lack of infrastructure, is not an easy place to grow coffee. But these farmers pour their efforts into using their limited resources with a thoughtfulness that’s brought healthy growth and a global reputation. Using drip irrigation systems for precise watering, solar coffee dryers to help save energy, composting, water reuse and filtering, and regular soil monitoring, their processing sets a high standard for environmental care. And they extend that same philosophy of care to the people within their coffee community.”
REVIEW
Yes, this is an outstanding coffee, just as they say in that description. The farmer’s dedication to perfection is so easily present and obvious in the cup here. I would imagine that with that precision and dedication, the roasts of coffee coming from these farms in Malawi will only get better as each crop is harvested.
According to Starbucks, this coffee has a flavor profile of “subtle citrus with hints of cedar and ginger accents.”
I won’t lie - I am not a fan of ginger, so seeing that it was one of the main flavors in this coffee was a little bit of a turn off for me. However, it was not as present as I had assumed it would be, which was great. The cedar notes are definitely downplayed because the cedar in this really shines. I feel like there were more notes of grapefruit and orange then there was lemon, both of which pair nicely with cedar and ginger.
I reviewed this roast by making a variety of espresso-based drinks using my Breville Bambino Espresso machine - probably the best at-home espresso machine I have ever used!
I would definitely drink this coffee again.
Rating: 8.3/10