(Hosted) Thanks to an invitation from @theategroup, the stopover I did in the “birth continent” of coffee was via a flight of Arabica coffees. My guide was none other than @bachacoffeeofficial’s Training Manager Jules Samson (@jules05_sg). He provided an eye-opening education rich in history and production details of each variant with the benefit of an actual tasting. For eg. geography dictated why the beans, all from Africa, were produced via the “wet” as opposed to “dry” method.
When I sipped on the four types of Arabica beans, it dawned on me that coffee tasting had certain parallels with wine tasting. And by sipping (gulping is not encouraged) them in succession, I could really appreciate their unique characteristics.
My favourites turned out to be the first and the last of that flight. I wouldn’t mind waking up and smelling the “Bantu Secret” each morning as the full-bodied, delicate-in-acidity coffee which comes from the shores of Lake Kivu 1,500 metres above sea level, has notes of honey, brown sugar and dark chocolate notes. And the “Yirgacheffe” would make an ideal nightcap (yes, you read that right) because, surprise surprise, this easy-to-enjoy malty coffee with dry hay and berries in its notes, is decaffeinated!
For someone who tends to order the same few coffees whenever I visit #bachacoffeesg (hello “Three Volcanoes”), it was indeed fun and enlightening to venture out of my comfort zone to explore new aromas and flavours. The next time you are at @bachacoffeeofficial, I encourage you to go for at least two different types of coffee. And maybe slip in something you haven’t had before just for the heck of it. You might surprise yourself with a new favourite 😊