This is a small sample of many I received in a recent coffee trade and I had a limited amount of coffee to work with. I’ve really, REALLY been interested in Supersonic coffee since I noticed their Instagram and social media campaign… Pre-marketing, sending limited samples out to a select group, cool tins, dogtags, glass Keep Cups, incredibly gorgeous packaging… There’s a reason why marketing is done this way and it’s because it makes people take notice! So, I was excited to find a sample of their Alto de la Cruz coffee from Colombia to try out. You can read about the details of this washed coffee on Supersonic’s cool coffee dossier.
I made my sample in the Gino dripper with my usual parameters (see link below my logo at the top of the page). I found this cup to be a little thin in the body. It is sweet up front and then a nice, round acidity envelopes the tongue and hits a bit of the cheeks, too. The tasting notes for this coffee say, “Caramel, apple pie, harmonic.” I didn’t find any of that, but the fruit I was picking up was more of apricot and maybe some peach, so more pectin sweetness than the malic acid associated with apple flavors.
On a couple sips I was rewarded with a peach sweet tea flavor not unlike the Compelling & Rich coffee I reviewed yesterday but this one lacked the depth and consistency I found in the C&R. The coffee stands up well as it cools and is overall balanced. The acidity takes on a bit of an edge as it cools, however, although it’s not harsh. The cooler cup picks up some tobacco flavors for me, too.
I have a feeling this coffee is a little past its prime as I’m sampling it, but that being said its not bad coffee, it’s just not meeting my expectations. This is where I wish I had a system of being able to blind taste test. Have I fallen victim to expectations that are way too high because of media hype and it’s my problem, or is this just a coffee that didn’t hit all my buttons? It does make me want to try some more Supersonic coffees and see what else they have to offer and get a fuller impression of their roasting capabilities, which have excellent pedigree!