Every now and then, I come across a coffee that I feel like virtually everyone will like, that will please a wide variety of palates and make folks happy to drink every morning. This is one of those coffees!
On their website, Roseline has this description for this blend: When coffee has been processed and dried, the result is a seed inside of a protective husk called parchment. In Latin America, producers often refer to the coffee at this point as ‘oro’ or gold in Spanish. Oro is roasted with a little more development to highlight sweetness and balance, making it a perfect staple coffee for everyday drinking.
Oro is a blend that changes seasonally to maintain the chocolate and caramel notes that the roaster is going for. At the time I bought this, Oro consisted 100% of Colombian coffees from the Inza region.
Whole bean: Smells like chocolate graham crackers, milk chocolate, hot cocoa on a cold day. Beautifully and evenly roasted with no oil on the beans.
French press: Pure decadence. This coffee tastes super sweet and creamy with rich flavors of both chocolate and caramel. I’m positive Godiva makes a chocolate-caramel truffle that tastes just like this.
Chemex: I wrote “Tootsie Roll” in my notes. I guess I had candy on my mind during this tasting! This cup didn’t have the richness that the French press cup did but it had an arguably stronger cocoa flavor. If the French press version was the “full-fat” version, the Chemex cup tasted like the “low-fat” version, if that makes sense.
V60: Compared to the first two methods, this didn’t wow me as much. Something about the coffee made in the Hario V60 brought out some harsher, sour flavors, like sour cherry. If chocolate + sour cherry is your thing, then you might really enjoy this! But it just wasn’t for me.
AeroPress: This came out super strong and needed dilution – it was too intense for me to drink straight. Once I added water, it was fine – in my opinion it didn’t have the special qualities and flavors that the other cups had, but it was a solid and tasty cup of coffee that I wouldn’t be unhappy with if I ordered it at a shop.
Summary: I loved this coffee in a French press, and liked it pretty well in the Chemex. I drink my coffee black, but if you add milk and sugar to yours, I’d prepare yourself for an even more decadent and delicious experience. This is definitely something I’d recommend to friends looking for chocolaty flavors in their coffee… especially if they have a French press at home.
From the roaster: Chocolate and caramel
Roseline Coffee Oro Seasonal Blend
Review conducted 8-12 days post-roast.