Apricotini from the Amsterdam-based roastery DAK Coffee Roasters is an Ethiopian filter coffee characterized by its juiciness, sweetness, and a subtle sparkle. The flavor is dominated by apricot jam, which comes across as ripe, sweet, and very pronounced, followed closely by peach, while the entire profile is lightened by a note of sparkling tea (non-alcoholic wine). This note brings a light, effervescent freshness and the elegance of tea, ensuring the coffee doesn’t feel heavy despite its pronounced fruitiness. The result is a lively, clean, and playful cup where sweet stone fruits meet lightness and a fresh finish.
The coffee comes from Ethiopia, and its cherries are processed at the Konga Washing Station. It is a lot of heirloom varieties grown at an elevation of around 2,100 meters above sea level, where the high altitude promotes slower ripening of the cherries and the development of a more complex flavor profile. It was this very lot that won over the entire DAK team during cupping, where it stood out primarily for its intense apricot character. No further details about the specific region or producer are provided in the accompanying information.
Apricotini undergoes the red honey process, which in this case is supplemented by two fermentation phases. The whole cherries first undergo 24 hours of aerobic fermentation with oxygen exposure, followed by another 24 hours of anaerobic fermentation without oxygen. The cherries are then hulled, and the beans are dried for approximately 15 days on shaded raised beds. Although this is a honey-processed coffee, the resulting profile, with its clarity, is closer to washed coffees than to natural ones.
- Station: Konga Washing Station
- Elevation: 2,100 m above sea level