Sep 29 2009
Coffee Review: Costa Rican Estate La Violeta
I love me my single origin coffees, and I prefer them fresh roasted from indie local roasters. Unfortunately, those are hard to come by here in town - and having it delivered tends to put a major crimp in my budget. That means that I’m always on the lookout for reasonably priced, good coffees that I (and other people) can buy locally. About a year and a half ago, I discovered Archer Farms Reserve Roast coffees, sold exclusively through Target. Yes, Target.
First, a word about the brand. Archer Farms is Target Corp’s specialty food label. Their slogan is Tasty foods at Tasty Prices. If you’re used to buying your coffee for $3.79 a can in the grocery aisle, the $9.99 price tag for a tin of Archer Farms Reserve Roast coffee may not seem like a bargain. When you compare the price to similar coffees of the same quality at $14.99 and up, and when you actually taste the coffee, chances are good that you’ll change your mind.
Archer Farms coffees are packaged in very distinctive silver tins - that’s more a pewter color than the bright chrome silver most people associate with that color. Reserve Roast coffees are “rare and exemplary–grown in quantities that are too liited to allow us to offer them year-round. Available exclusively at Target, these distinctive, single-origin coffees are artisan-roasted to emphasize the remarkable flavors and aromas of each growing region.”
That’s straight from the package labeling - and having sampled a number of different Reserve Roast coffees, I have to tell you that it they generally live up to their labeling. The Costa Rican Estate La Violeta certainly does.
When I opened the inner packaging, the aroma wafted out almost as strongly as if I’d already started grinding the beans. I ended up burying my nose in it to sniff deeply - and passed the can around the whole family, all of whom just ‘mmmmm”d at it. The aroma was rich, smooth and had a hint of the balance that the cup of coffee would prove to have. It was fruity - a hint of berry, a touch of citrus - and a little cocoa-ish, and had an overtone of - I kid you not - Brazil nut. And that aroma filled the house as the beans were ground, and then suffused it as it started to brew. I couldn’t wait to actually taste it.
The Estate La Violeta didn’t disappoint. First, though the roast was medium, the brew was rich and dark. Unlike some medium roast coffees, you couldn’t see the spoon beneath the level of the coffee. There was almost a purple overtone to the color, and the coffee oils were visible floating on the top of the cup. It was lovely. I sipped… and oh, my…
I don’t often use the words “rich” and “snap” in reviews of the same coffee. Often, coffees that are this rich in feel don’t have the acidity to tingle your tongue. The Violeta proves that the two are not mutually exclusive. The first distinct flavor is mildly citrus, melding into smooth, sweet plum flavor tinged with chocolate. The body is smooth, not quite as heavy as say, Sumatran coffee, but much more substantial than a Brazilian or Colombian coffee.
It’s not really a breakfast coffee - which surprised me, because I generally am happy with most coffees for breakfast. This Costa Rican coffee from the Tarrazu region is very definitely an after dinner coffee. I can imagine it with a slice of cheesecake or a tiramisu. The pairing would be pure heaven.
My dad is a huge fan of Target and often when I’d go back home to visit him, they’d have something from Archer Farms. They were definitely better than expected.