Kenya Kirinyaga Kamwangi Peaberry

City+ is a good starting point for Kamwangi Peaberry, punching up the level of sweetness that balances out fruit, and bittersweetness. There's a layered sweetness in the dry fragrance of raw sugars, spiced-fruit, and rustic cacao. Full City roasts usher in caramelized-sweet smells, chocolate-covered dried fruits drizzled in caramel. The wet grounds carry a potent brown sugar scent, accented by fruit/berry Danish pastry, and a hint of aromatic wood. Kamwangi weighty mouthfeel all along our recommended roast range, juicy body that is bolstered by roast development. At City+ the brewed coffee has a pleasantly tart note that brings out profiles of tangerine, and orange that's slightly unripe. The underlying sweetness is a bit like rustic date sugar, with a note of barley malt syrup that enmeshes fruit accents like dried plum, grape, and Medjool dates. Spiced hints round out the cup-profile, with a sprinkling of all-spice and cardamom in the aroma, along with an earth-toned woody note in the aftertaste. Full City roasts bring out dark fruits and bittersweetness, perhaps finding more balance between sweet/tart/bitter. A sort of 'puckering' effect is still present, but countered by deep caramelized sugars sweetness. Body is thick in this middle roast range, resting on the palate like fruit juice. Full City will make a great Kenya espresso shot, if not a bit on the wild and fruited side.