Review #16: Batch Nine Coffee Company

Name of Roaster: Batch Nine Coffee Company Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): Florence, SC

Name of Roast: Honduras Marcala Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium Origin of Beans: COMSA co-op, Marcala, Honduras Price: $16 (12 oz) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): One Day Aroma: Opening the bag, we noted deep chocolate cake with a light finish of crisply baked chocolate chip cookie. The grind revealed a bright berry juice over scents reminiscent of fresh bread crust, along with a hint of sharp dark chocolate beneath. On the pour, this coffee was lacking in aromatics, but we caught the faint smell of smoke and fresh honey.

Flavor Profile: This coffee had a high entry, hitting the roof of the mouth before making its way directly to the middle of the tongue. Light raspberry and blackberry juice are encountered on the entry, fading into brown sugar and the coffee's roast note. Mild acidity is noted that slowly creeps from the roof of the mouth to the sides of the tongue, where it lingers. The Marcala had a medium body, and its aromatics clung to the roof of the mouth, with the primary aromatic being the roast note. As it cooled, the coffee gained viscosity, with delicate honey showing in the front of the mouth, while the back and middle of the mouth were still dominated by the aforementioned mixture of berry juice and roast notes.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): This was a bright and vibrant cup of coffee that we would recommend to those whole like a little more acidity in their coffee and long, traditional finishing aromatics without any bitterness. The berry is slight, so if you have concerns about more fruit-forward roasts, fear not, as while present, the note is by no means prominent. Also, if you're a bloom aficionado, the coffee had a medium-sized bloom.

Additionally, we want to note that the Honduras Marcala is a brand new offering from Batch Nine, and we were lucky to be provided the opportunity to review a sample of the roast prior to its release date, which happens to be today! This also explains why the bag in our photograph is not the traditional bag you will find on their site or in stores when you go to purchase it. We thank Batch Nine for allowing us the opportunity to try the sample and showcase a great coffee from a quality small batch roaster, as one of the purposes of our reviews is to spread awareness of top notch roasters and coffees in various locales. Our contact with Batch Nine did not influence our review, as our reviews will always remain impartial and focused solely on providing honest thoughts on coffees from quality craft roasters. Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 7.3 Where to Buy: Batch Nine Coffee Company Looking to do a review of your own? Hop over to the Community and get to it!