Mugged: Various [Don Francisco]

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Subject: Don Francisco's Coffee
Coffees Mugged: Sumatra, Breakfast Blend, Espresso and Decaf 100% Colombian
Rating: Espresso is 1+, and 2+ for the rest [see key]

Sometimes when people send coffee for a review, they include unexpected other coffees. Sometimes it's pleasantly welcomed and other times I scratch my head. This most recent shipment from Don Francisco's contained four bags I definitely wasn't expecting of pre-ground coffee that left me puzzled (why would you send pre-ground coffee for a review?). Were the coffees not completely bereft of freshness when they reached me, those coffees actually could have been tasty. Alas...

Thus, wanting to be transparent and a good steward of that which I agreed to do (review the coffee they sent), I made the task of reviewing the four coffees via drip and french press (as it was pre-ground to a finer setting than I would use with my siphon, I left these coffees out of the glass bulb) as fast as I could from the time I unsealed the packing...and here's the long and short of it.

The Sumatra, via french press, produced a dark cherried cup with a good bit of bitterness and a weak body. The drip produced less dark of a cherry, some walnut and less bitterness.

The Breakfast Blend drip held nutty notes, bits of apple, jasmine, a tinge of fig and lingering darkness. The french press held more of a darker taste, some cherry as well as the fig and jasmine.

The Espresso via drip was dark and bitter with but a little black currant showing some brightness. The french press was lighter, with less darkness and less currant. By far the least flavorful of these four coffees.

The 100% Colombian Decaf in drip form held some almond, bright apple and a smooth texture. The french press was a little darker, with the same apple and almond.

Overall, I would venture that for pre-ground coffee, three of the four weren't half bad (the Espresso was really lackluster) though I still don't understand why people still buy coffee chopped for them (it's like buying apples pre-sliced).

Thus, while I can't recommend these coffees, I would venture to try Don Francisco's whole bean offerings.

note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.