Sweet Maria's Moka Java SWP Decaf Blend

This blend of Ethiopian and Indonesian decafs is versatile, and very sweet at many roast levels. We tested City+ and Full City for this review and found the flavors held enticing top notes suspended in a very bittersweet flavor base. The more developed roast presented a lot darker in both flavor and color, and had a more pungent flavors of dark cocoa and burnt sugars, without pulling out any ashy notes. The coffee lets off an interesting fragrance and aromatic profile for decaf, from blackstrap molasses, to fruit leather sweetness, to doughy bread notes. City+ roasts make an excellent cup, and I don't think I would know it's decaf if no one told me! There is chocolate bittersweetness meshed with hints of berry, and prune, that add a nice juicy aspect. The earthy flavors from the Indonesian coffees add to the depth of flavor, but were overall fairly restrained in both of my roasts. In terms of acidity, it's not a bright cup, but not flat either. The subtle acidic impression that graced my City+ roast was a welcome aspect, especially for decaf!  My darker roast amplified opaque bittering cocoa notes, and brought out some pungent burnt sugars. Keep in mind that with decaf, it's easy to go too dark, so erring on the light side of your intended target is ideal to start, then adjust as needed.