Review #89: Saint-Henri

Name of Roaster: Saint-Henri

Location of Roaster (City, Province, Country): Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Name of Roast: Oscar et Luis Monge Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium Origin of Beans: Santa Rosa 1900/La Lia Farm, San Lorenzo, Tarrazu, Costa Rica Price: $20 CAD/$15 USD (8.8 oz.) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): Forty-one Days Aroma: Cutting open the bag, we caught scents of rich deep chocolate brownie, chocolate cake batter, cocoa nibs, and touch of cinder. On the grind, a warmer scent appeared, with baking spices, semi-sweet chocolate, and cinnamon sticks showing, followed by chocolate cake again. The pour revealed pungent dark brown sugar, wild honey, and caramel.

Flavor Profile: The sip arrives mid-palate. Viscous and rich, this coffee oozes across the tongue at the outset, coating the roof and stopping midway down the tongue. Warm dark chocolate, nougat, pecan, muddled orange jam, a touch of guava, and then a wave of caramel and toffee are noted. The tip and sides of the tongue catch bright citrus (tangerine?) with the tip of the tongue’s citrus being slightly sharper. These acidic notes meld easily into the fold of the sip. As the coffee cools, a creaminess develops, and the aforementioned fruit flavors take slightly more precedence as compared to the rich, sweet notes. The coffee is smooth, lush, and balanced on the finish.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): This coffee is incredibly well-balanced, with a calming, luxurious feel reminiscent of a cozy, warm blanket. This is a cup that can be sipped on its own or paired with a variety of items, but we personally enjoyed it solo. We picked this bag up at Thor Espresso Bar in Toronto, and we'd highly recommend stopping in to Thor or heading to Cafe Saint-Henri if you happen to be in Montreal. We will definitely be keeping this roaster on our radar in the days ahead.

Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 8.5. Where to Buy: Saint-Henri

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