Earlier this week, I went to a coffee seminar at the East Olive Way Starbucks for the new Reserve offering, Peru Aladino. I’ve written about this coffee before. It has a bold flavor, with hints of orange, citrus and nuts. I’ve described this as “soft” though I think what I really mean is that it has a lingering finish to it in the mouth.
The surprise of this particular coffee event was comparing it hot to iced. That was fun! For the record, all the coffee for tonight’s event (March 25, 2013) was brewed through the Clover brewer. We tried the Peru Aladino hot, paired with the mocha wafers. We tried it iced with fresh oranges. I wish I had taken a photo of the actual coffee!
It’s amazing how the same coffee, brewed on the same machine, could taste so different depending on whether it was iced or hot.
When we had the coffee hot, we agreed the coffee had a strong citrus flavor, and some orange in the aroma. The baking spices and cocoa in the mocha wafers bought out the toffee and nuttiness of the coffee.
As an iced coffee, the aroma was much more floral. Even the flavor was a little less citrus, and more floral instead. One person tonight’s event described the iced coffee as “absolutely refreshing.” And, oranges brought out the sweeter notes of the coffee, and subdued a little of the roast profile coming through.
So that was it: Fun tip for this coffee – try it iced with oranges! I noticed that the Peru is already sold out at StarbucksStore.com, so you’ll have to find a Clover Starbucks location to try this coffee.
You are invited to the next event:
The next East Olive Way coffee seminar is Tuesday, April 9, 2013. I hope to see you there! I want to put out a special request for customers to come attend the event. I’ve heard that the next seminar will feature a coffee in such limited supply that most Clover stores will not receive any of it, and even the online supplies will be small.
Please come join in at the East Olive Way Starbucks, April 8, 2013, at 6:00 p.m.
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Melody how much ice was in the iced coffee and did you drink it black? I like the fact that they compared it hot and cold.
I think they use quite a bit of ice. It’s brewed double strength with the Clover, then poured over ice.
I love doing coffee comparisons between iced and hot variations! They really bring out different attributes of the coffee that may be either downplayed or otherwise unnoticed.
Wow, Geisha‽ I’m extremely jealous that I am not in your area to pop by!
Keep an eye out on Starbucks.com….
Will do, thanks for the heads up!
This is truly an amazing coffee. Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Clover brewer so I did the next best thing: French press. As far the Reserve line goes, this coffee is one of the best. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with this coffee.
What can you tell us about the two women that hosted this tasting? Every barista has a story. What is theirs?
Thanks Jess! I will update this post right now. And I will see you on the 9th!
Melody, so this coffee is only available at Clover locations? I don’t have one close to me, unless I go drive a bit to Palo Alto/San Mateo – I believe there’s A LOT of Clover Starbucks there. I’d love to try it both ways, just to taste the difference, but I’m more of an iced coffee person.