Review #112: Vía Volcán

Name of Roaster: Vía Volcán

Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): Northern Virginia

Name of Roast: Panama Caturra

Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium Origin of Beans: Panama

Price: $16 (16 oz.) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): Four Days Aroma: Cutting open the bag, we noted dark chocolate wafer, the roast note, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and devil's food cake. Warm scents of cedar, hot cocoa, sipping chocolate, cocoa powder, and sandpaper dust showed on the grind. The pour brought forth scents of caramelizing sugar, light brown sugar, nougat, and cinnamon.

Flavor Profile: The sip offers a medium-bodied, mid-palate entry. Slight and viscous at the outset, the flavors hang in the front of the tongue. Notes of lemon, orange, melon, and raspberry are noted beneath aromatics of pine and cedar, while a touch of cocoa shows underneath. As the coffee cools, it takes on an interesting taste of having been mixed with skim milk. The finish is reminiscent of pink peppercorn, dry and light, with a hint of caramelized sugar.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): We found this coffee at a local market and decided to give it a go to support a new community roaster, and the Panama Caturra offered an interesting cup. While the roast of the beans was not uniform throughout, with certain beans lighter in color than others, but the flavors shone through, and the price point was pretty exceptional. We wish this roaster all the best as they develop their business.

Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 7.0 Where to Buy: Vía Volcán Looking to do a review of your own? Hop over to the Community and get to it!