Sunday, October 14, 2012

Mugged: 2012 Reserve [Manana Madera]


Subject: Manana Madera Coffee Estate
Mugged: 2012 Reserve
Rating: 4+ [see key]


It’s not often that I get to try the same coffee from the same farm 2 years later, but fortunately there are botique operations out there like the Manana Madera Coffee Estate in Boquete, Panama that grow, harvest and roast their own beans (along with offering a pretty sweet coffee getaway). They had sent me their beans in 2010 for review, and with a pretty favorable rating I was very intrigued to see what this year’s crop would behold. 


One sunny day, I received the coffee in similar packaging as last time, straight from Panama. I tested out the coffee via pourover, french press and siphon, but since I had written my notes of the siphon on a medium I lost (i.e. I accidentally deleted it), only my actual notes on the drip and french press are below.

The pourover held strong notes apple, nutmeg, light smokiness, raspberry and biscuit. A medium/heavy bodied coffee with a pleasant array of flavors, overall ruled by a sweet tartness and hearty notes.

The french press produced varying flavors; a little smokiness, some apple, nutmeg, a little peanut, raspberry and bit of burlap. A light/medium body infusion with a twinge of a carbon on the end, this infusion proved sweet though a tad darker than I would want. 

The siphon I remember being closer to the pourover in flavors with a slightly heavier body, but alas it is only a memory. 

Thus, I would say that despite some smoky characteristics that gave it a tobacco-esque back end, I would say that this Panama proves quite delicious especially if you’re looking for a coffee with flavors of sweet fruits countered with a smoky character. I would not mind sipping this coffee on the patio their plantation villa getaway. If you’re ever on the hunt for a unique Panama coffee from a unique farm, give Manana Madera’s Reserve a try.


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

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Useful information like this one must be kept and maintained so I will put this one on my bookmark list! Thanks for this wonderful post and hoping to post more of this...

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KLIX said...

Although this particular bean doesn't appeal to my tastes so much, it's definitely important to support these independent farms who grow, harvest and roast their own beans.