||ESPRESSO|| Counter Culture Coffee - Espresso Aficionado 2007

Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE - ESPRESSO AFICIONADO
Price: $10.00/12oz. + Shipping = $1.13/oz.
Year: 2007 (October)
Blend/Roast: Blend not known (Brazil + Ehtiopia Harrar?); Relatively lightly roasted, Northern Italian style espresso blend and roast. Requires slightly hotter pulling temperatures, near 203*F to extract its full potential sweetness.
CC says: “The Northern Italian espresso is a completely different animal than in the rest of Italy. Relatively lightly roasted; complex, delicate, and composed, many espresso devotees proclaim the Northern Italian style to be the quintessential espresso experience. When the modern espresso machine entered this milieu, the coffee blend of choice naturally reflected the Northern Italian taste: coffee flavors are balanced against one another; the natural sweetness of lightly roasted coffees offset their aromatic complexity and dance above a full-bodied foundation. The final product is a sophisticated and complex, and perfectly suited to the Northern Italiand espresso ristretto and the traditional cappuccino.” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Deep reddish brown, easily burnt crema. Thick and substantial crema layer with every cup
Aroma: Sweet and toasty aroma, like toasted marshmallows. Makes you think of s’mores.
Body: Creamy body that lingers in the mouth after each sip. Surprisingly dry overall.
Milk: One of the best milk-handlers I have ever pulled. Sweet syrupy notes come through like chocolate into a delicious latte or cappuccino. Perfect with any milk, from 2% to half and half.

Scores: 88, 97, 90, 88, 95, 90

Profile & Flavors: Semisweet chocolate is the most obvious flavor. Sweetness is apparent throughout, but difficult to assign an exact flavor. I taste dark cherries. This espresso is dry and nutty to the finish. Think of the skin on a hazelnut, naturally dry and almost salty, pulling out the sweetness of the nut. Very complex indeed, but very delicious. Just like they were trying to do, it seems that the Espresso Aficionado captures the quintessential espresso flavors: bitter, sweet, and almost winey when pulled properly. It can be a bit finicky to pull (note the fluctuance in scores), but when hit right, it is an extremely rewarding espresso (see 97!). A great everyday espresso, which earns extra points for its wonderful milk-handling ability.

Buy Again? Definitely. Perfect for everyday shots and for milk drinks. I actually prefer this to their ’07 Toscano (review coming).