Hits: 12
Bean: Red Bourbon, single estate, Experimental Natural,
Shop: Smit & Dorlas, webshop, The Netherlands.
For many of you the name Smit & Dorlas will conjure up the image of coffee that is served in many bars and restaurants. Smit & Dorlas, however, also have a specialty coffee line that harvests some great coffees. Today I will tell you all about their Rwanda filter Red Bourbon roast.
Smit & Dorlas – Rwanda Filter: Background information.
This review is about the filter version of the Rwanda single estate espresso review that I wrote earlier. Since the coffee comes from the same company and washing station I will not post the same information twice. To read more about the background information of this Smit & Dorlas coffee you can click on the link above. If you want even more information you can also check the website of This Side Up Coffee.
Smit & Dorlas – Rwanda Filter: Opening the package.
The Rwanda Filter comes in exactly the same beige package as the espresso roast version of this coffee. The only difference is that the sticker with information says ‘filter’ instead of ‘espresso. When opening the package there is a soft earl grey and sweet scent coming out to greet you. The roast is obviously lighter and the the colour of the beans is evenly throughout the package. The bean tastes like earl grey tea at first, a moment later a little sourness takes over ending in a little bitterness. I guess it is time to grind the beans and see what I come up with. I will review this coffee from a Hario V60 brew. I also did an Aeropress brew with this coffee but the recipe I used needed 37.5 grams, and I did not have enough coffee left for a proper review.
Smit & Dorlas – Rwanda Filter: The tasting.
The recipe I used was a 20gr/280ml brew at 85 degrees Celsius. I started the brew with a 50gr of water and 40 seconds bloom. I could immediately smell the aroma of lavender and a sweetness that would come back throughout the brew. After 40 seconds I did two pours of 100 grams of water over 20 seconds and topped it off with a 30 grams pour. The total brewing time was between 2:10 and 2:20.
The scent that comes off of the brew has a soft honey coming off. There is the unmistakable earl grey that got mixed with a soft bergamot note and a hint of fruits. This coffee is surprising right from the start. I take a sip of the coffee, slurp some oxygen in and let the coffee rest inside my mouth. These is a distinct sweetness that you get from sugared tea, a bouquet of red fruits and, when the brew cools off a little, a floral note that makes me think of roses and lavender. All this flows over into a very pleasant brew that has a medium to high citric acidity. The mouthfeel would best be described as silky smooth or maybe even buttery on the tongue. The aftertaste does not linger for a very long period of time but that did not bother me at all. The fun thing is that I just kept drinking this coffee over and over until I suddenly felt the caffeine kick in. The tea like aspect of the coffee is very pleasant and agreeable throughout the day.
Smit & Dorlas – Rwanda Filter: The Verdict.
I was enthusiastic about the espresso roast of this coffee, and I am not less enthusiastic about the filter version of this coffee. This Side Up and Smit & Dorlas have created an amazing roast with this coffee. This coffee has so many aromas and flavours to explore that I wonder what else I have been missing. Red fruit, bergamot, lavender, earl grey and honey is what I could detect on the Hario V60 alone. Who knows what one will find on the Siphon or Aeropress? My advice is that you should buy both the Rwanda Espresso and Rwanda Filter and treat yourself on a beautiful coffee.