Hits: 18
Beans: Espresso Escuro
Shop: Smaak Enzo, Heerhugowaard or webshop
Today I will be reviewing the Espresso Escuro by Smaak Enzo, Heerhugowaard. I do not really know alot about this bean other than that it is a dark roasted bean and it is described as the strongest bean they sell. Since I like a strong cup of coffee now and then, im curious as to what this bean has got in store for me.
Espresso Escuro: Opening the package
When opening the package the scent is strong, deep dark and earthy. The beans are really dark and even have a bit of oily look to them. A lot of you will think that an oily look on beans mean that they are ‘dark roasted’ and that it’s a good thing. Let me tell you that it isn’t per se. If you have a dark roasted bean with an oily look to them, it means the roasting proces went on for a tad too long. The heat and internal shell react and give out the oils. The oils give the bean their flavours and tones and obviously you want to keep them inside the bean. The look of these beans hint to that, but we will see.
When grinding the beans the flavours that appear are strong and heavy like the way an espresso dark roast is supposed to smell. The grind appears to have the color of an italian roasted bean; the darkest roast type there is.
Espresso Escuro: The tasting
When making my first espresso I cannot help but to think that this crema will be excellent for Latte-art. It’s rich and dark and lays heavy on the espresso. As I take a sip I let oxygen go through my mouth and notice the crema. Its thick and creamy and give away the fact that these beans are fresh. A soft bitter appears combined with a bit of rounded chocolate tones, albeit in a far distance. Tasting is difficult because of the strong tastes trying to overrule eachother. In the description it says I should be able to notice fruity and caramelish flavours but there is none of that. It might be this batch of coffee but it seems the roaster overroasted the beans a little. Don’t get me wrong; the roaster did not completely ruin the batch; the espresso is still deep and dark, but the rich flavours just dont seem to be there no more.
Espresso Escuro: Verdict
As a last resort I prepared a lungo with this bean in the hopes of discovering the tones, but I could not. In my opinion the idea behind this roast was good; trying to roast the bean as dark as possible in the hopes of creating a perfect dark roasted espresso bean. Unfortunately (at least with this batch) it failed and ruined the coffee for me.
My next review will be about the Cuba Turquino Lavado which I also bought at Smaak Enzo.