Coffee Review: Komodo Blue Dragon, Rocketfuelcoffee.com
Company: Rocketfuelcoffee.com
Bean Origin or Blend: Komodo Blue Dragon
Body: Medium/Full
Roast: Medium
Brew Method: Drip and French Press
Price: $36/lb. (Here)
Background:
Over the last year or so, we’ve really enjoyed getting to know Lisa, owner of Rocketfuelcoffee.com. She puts out some amazing beans and is a great artist and friend as well. To view more of our coffee reviews, you can see a full listing here.
We also interviewed Lisa some time ago, which you can read here.
For some background information on the Komodo Blue Dragon, here is what the website has to say:
Flores is a small Indonesian island located about 200 miles to the east of Bali, and is northwest of Timor. The island is one of the few places on earth where Komodo dragons can be found in the wild and is part of the Komodo national park. Mountain elevations reach nearly 8,000 feet. It is known as the ‘island of flowers’ so named by the Portuguese not because of flowers, but rather by the colorful coral reefs that surround the island. The terrain is rugged and the island is replete with both active and inactive volcanoes which have created especially fertile soils ideal for organic coffee production.
Today there are twelve neighboring cooperatives in Flores and each them has been certified as organic. Almost all coffee there is Arabica grown between 1200 and 1800 meters. Among the major changes that have taken place are the harvesting of only fully ripe cherries, and, implementation of wet hull processing, also called semi-washed. The drying takes place on raised African beds here, an excellent development as the coffee is not in contact with soil and is exposed to air from all sides. In the local Bahasa language the process is called “giling basah” or literally, wet grinding. This method produces deep green/blue coffees, now commonly seen in those from Sumatra. It is also responsible for the heavy body, low acid nature as full drying within parchment results in higher acidity.
The desire to produce quality coffee has been contagious and the coops share information aimed at further improvement. Within just a few short years coffee from Flores has become a truly viable product in world trade.
Profile:
The bean is very dark and thick with oil, creating a very rich and velvety appearance. The aroma carries a thick pungency with cocoa notes and a slight berry along the edges. On the pour, the aroma is more muted and is smooth and gentle. The contrast between the bean aroma and the pour aroma is drastic. The berry is more pronounced on the pour than on the bean, and there is a burnt aroma that is rather smoky and earthy, which wasn’t present on the actual bean.
On consumption, there is a burst of sweet berry on the palate and the cup quickly proves to be very lively! On the finish, there are pungent notes with a long finish, and along the edges there are some earthy characteristics which lend to a very complex and engaging experience.
Synopsis:
The Komodo Blue Dragon from Rocketfuelcoffee.com was not surprising to me, but only because I am accustomed to lively and complex beans from Lisa. Her beans always impress and regularly create intriguing profiles. This is another blend to add to the list if you enjoy a bolder, more complex cup of coffee.
