The Halloween Edition from the popular Czech roastery The Naughty Dog is another in a series of limited-edition offerings that regularly enrich their regular lineup. This time, it’s a blend of Ethiopian and Kenyan coffee—a combination of two very distinct profiles. Together, they create a sweet cup with medium acidity, in which notes of fruit punch and blueberries gradually give way to the rich sweetness of a chocolate cupcake.
The Ethiopian component comes from the Hambela area in the southern Guji region, one of the country’s highest-altitude coffee-growing areas. The cool climate at these elevations slows the ripening of the cherries, allowing them to accumulate high sugar content and pronounced fruitiness, which is reflected in the blend’s profile through those sweet, “berry-like” notes. The Kenyan component comes from the Mugaya washing station in Kirinyaga County on the slopes of Mount Kenya, where coffee is supplied by hundreds of small-scale farmers cultivating the red volcanic soil. Kirinyaga has long been one of the most respected regions in Kenya, and the coffees from here are among the very best that Kenyan production has to offer.
Each component of the blend undergoes a different processing method, which contributes to the resulting balance of the cup. The Ethiopian coffee is processed using the dry method, in which the cherries remain whole after harvest and are dried directly in the sun. Sugars from the pulp gradually seep into the bean, giving the coffee sweetness, a fuller body, and intense fruity notes. The Kenyan component, on the other hand, undergoes classic washed processing, in which the cherries are pulped, the beans are fermented, and then thoroughly washed to remove any remaining pulp. This gives rise to a clean profile and bright acidity, which lend the entire blend structure and freshness.