This weekend we stopped by Kean Coffee in Newport Beach (Martin Diedrich's place), and I told them I was looking for a SO or blend with emphasis on the the sweet, caramel and chocolate notes in hopes of minimizing my wife's perception of bitterness. He recommended their newly arrived and freshly roasted Rwandan Medium Full Roast from the Gikongoro Province (Nyamagabe District).
I've since pulled several doubles with it and both my wife and I really like it. After grinding it had a pleasantly rich toasty coffee aroma, with hints of caramel or butterscotch. The resulting shot had medium body and a sweet buttery flavor with a hint of bourbon. It was a bit brighter than any espresso I have previously tried. Admittedly I am new to home espresso (though I've been a coffee enthusiast for over a decade), so my espresso tasting vocabulary and perception might not perfectly predict your experience.
If you enjoy trying various SO's, or if you are trying to convince a reluctant taster that coffee and espresso can be naturally sweet, the Rwandan Gikongoro might be for you.
Also, if you live in Southern California, I think you would likely enjoy a trip to Kean's. The staff seemed knowledgeable, very willing to discuss their various beans, and even served me a free shot (quite good) when I inquired about taste. All of the coffee is labeled with roast dates, and I didn't notice anything older than a four days. All of their SO beans are available unroasted for 20% off the roasted price. As an added bonus, Martin Diedrich was there behind the counter fine tuning a grinder and was also available for questions. Regulars say he is often there and is willing to talk coffee when he isn't busy training staff and running the shop. Here's the web site if you are interested: http://www.keancoffee.com/
They haven't posted the Rwandan in their online store yet, though it should be coming soon.
