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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: St. Mary Market
Coffee Mugged: Jamaica High Mountain
Rating: 2+ [see key]
It pains me when a coffee roaster/purveyor exclaims how great their coffee is, when in actuality it fails to pass for decent coffee when put to the test. This is a pain I experienced recently when the folks at St. Mary Market out of NYC very kindly sent me out a 1/3 lb of their Jamaican High Mountain Coffee to try. When I opened the bag, I smelled nothing except a stale fragrance and saw what could have once been a decent medium roast coffee.
As you might guess, all of the ensuing brews came out stale and hence, the original coffee might have been amazing but it seems that the roasting/storage/handling did not ensure its quality.
I brewed it first via drip and received a coffee with a little caramel, tobacco, fig and toast all in a light body.
The french press produced a cup with heavier tobacco, fig, caramel, oregano and a bit of pear. This cup had a heavier body.
The siphon denoted some caramel, pepper, oregano, graham cracker and popcorn amidst a medium body.
Thus, it seems that St. Mary Market might have a good coffee but because it was so stale when I received it, there's not much praise I can laud. Another Jamaican coffee that stalled when its rubber met the road.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Marley Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Mystic Morning
Rating: 3+ [see key]
My second coffee from Marley Coffee was an Ethiopian and Central American blend called Mystic Morning. Having seen strong reviews of this blend and having had my share of similar blends, I was curious to see how Marley would perform when it came to a dual-continent blend.
The coffee looked a bit on the dark end for a medium coffee but it wasn't so dark as to be out the medium range. I sampled the coffee via drip and french press (my siphon was out of commission when I was reviewing this coffee).
The drip produced notes of spicy apple, a little bit of nutmeg, oregano, whole wheat bread, bourbon, a little grass and candied plum. A decent infusion with a mellow body and a small sting of darkness.
The french press held a bit of dark cocoa, apple, pumpkin bread, a little oregano, bourbon and some honey on the end. A similarly mellow coffee but with a little more expression in the flavor accents.
All together, it seemed the central american-esque flavors of the coffee (earthy and honey) came out over the brightness usually associated with east African coffees. I can't say I was floored with the overall flavors but Mystic Morning wasn't a bad coffee either (just a little spicier then I would have liked). I also have a sneaky suspicion that this coffee was not fresh (I mentioned a similar concern in my review of their Jamaican Blue Mountain, as I got both shipped from Cooking.com). So, at best, this was a slightly stale version that tasted fair or at worst, a fresh version that didn't sample so well.
Either way, give Mystic Morning a whirl if you're looking to give it a gamble.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Marley Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Jamaica Blue Mountain
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Though I can't say I know a lot about Bob Marley, I definitely did not peg him as a potential coffee farmer. Yet apparently, to carry on his dream, his son Rohan runs the coffee company Marley Coffee. While I'd never really heard of it prior, when the folks at Cooking.com offered to send me a pound or two to review, I felt the coffee sounded like something worth checking out.
The first of two coffees I sampled was their Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Always an expensive coffee due attention it garnered for little bitterness and smoothness (much of it goes to Japan), I was curious to give it a jab, as Jamaican Blues can be either decent or amazing (and rarely worth the big price tag).
Upon first interaction, the coffee had little aroma and seemed overall to be a little old. To test Marley's medium roast JBM, I sampled it via drip and french press (my siphon was out of commission).
The drip produced a coffee with notes of honey, baked pear, butter, granola, little grass, little soft pretzel and a little sunflower seed. Though the coffee did not prove as fresh as I would have hoped, it proved to be a good, mellow coffee.
The french press reaped granola, honey, little more of a tart pear, butter, tad darker in flavor, and a bit of vanilla and milk. This brew was a little heavier.
As it might seem obvious, I think had I ordered the coffee straight from Marley Coffee versus going through Cooking.com, I might have had fresher coffee. Thus, if you're looking for a fair Jamaican Blue Mountain, try Marley Coffee.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
