If they still have any, Paradise Roasters has an aged Sumatra Lintong. Jim gave it a 92 in his
coffee cuppers review.
Bob at the Green Coffee Cooperative (and Jims cupping partner) said...
This is an extraordinary coffee in many regards. First of all, the prep is exemplary. The beans are near perfect, 18 screen and larger and after roasting, the beans are like nuggets of gold, evenly colored and deceptively huge. The aromatics in the roaster and after grinding are filled with unfamiliar spices and molasses.
And then there's the cup profile...ah, the cup. To describe it as a rainbow of flavors doesn't do it justice. It taxes the senses and memory of flavors to try and discern and separate some of these. In the higher end of the spectrum, the spices sensed in the roaster and the dry, ground coffee are confirmed in the cup. Coming down the line, various fruits come to the forefront; most prominent of them are stone fruit, strawberries and pineapple. Moving on we encounter a very slight brothy, bacon-like flavor and the inevitable hint of smoky wood that is a hallmark of the aged coffees from Sumatra and India. This and their syrupy body are also qualities that give these coffees their uniqueness.
And yet there is still another surprise - the acidity. This coffee doesn't just lay there in its sweetness; its finely tuned acidity frames and brings out the rest.
And now a cautionary note: One might think that a dark roast would do this coffee justice but this is not so. I made the mistake of roasting it to near second crack and the coffee lost its soul. Then, taking a professional roaster's advice, I stopped the roast, just out of first crack, and all of the poetry above, emerged. It was a good lesson. I didn't heed the advice I've so often given others; a great Sumatra will show its greatness, its sweetness and body at lighter roast levels. Over-roasting will nearly destroy its subtle flavors and bring a pungent woodiness. Try this for yourselves. This coffee will also work as a single origin espresso shot or as a blend component.
I picked up several pounds and have been using it in my espresso blends.
