"Super cappa; pleasing SO; not a blender." Jim Schulman, coffeecuppers.com, on Bolivian Cenaproc.

"We tried it as SO espresso but felt it might be better as a 25% blend component than a straight shot." Sweet Maria's, also on Bolivian Cenaproc.

Hmmmm...an interesting dilemma.

Actually, their tasting notes, along with those of Burman's Coffee Traders, where I bought a few pounds, were not that far apart: chocolate, almond, and a bit of fruit and mild spice. This shows, I guess, that people whose palates are highly trained in coffee tasting still don't experience those flavors in the same way.

Anyway, I roasted my first batch as an SO a bit shy of second crack, and I have to agree with with Jim on this: "For home roasters who drink a lot of cappas, this coffee is a must."

But I still can't help but wonder what I could blend it with.

Couple of points: The Cenaproc varies year to year. Also, when I said "not a blender," I meant it wasn't bland enough to be a base for some other flavoring coffees. When Tom said it may be better as a 25% blend component, he probably meant it was too aggressively acidic as a straight shot, and might profit from toning down with a Sumatra or Brazil.

As Jim said, the 3 sources of cupping notes you cited refer to different crop years and lots. So while the general taste profile of that cooperative and Bolivian coffee in general is likely to be similar, I wouldn't be surprised by different recommendations. SO vs. blending may come down to personal taste and roast degree. My guess is that if you keep it to a light roast, you are going to have a fairly bright espresso with some nut tones and citric acidity. If you take it further, let's say approaching a Full City, you may have a creamier base coffee for blending. Try a simple 2 bean blend with 70% Bolivia and 30% of an accent coffee that suits your taste -- for example, a dry processed Ethiopian coffee.

With the 2012 crop I did 30% CENAPROC, 20% Sumatra Red Badger, and then various Rwandan's for the other 50%. Somewhere between city + and full city, got some nice chocolate covered cherries shots with it.

One thing I thought of when I read the reviews but forgot when posting was the different crop years: Jim, 2005; Tom, 2012; Burman, 2013. I realize that Jim's being the oldest doesn't make it outdated, as this year's crop could be much like 2005.

I found that as the week passed the almond flavor and sweetness became more pronounced. I was thinking of adding about 25% Indian Mysore to bump up the spiciness a bit. I must say that coffee roasting just keeps getting more interesting.