I wrote a few words on the Harem on the other Italian bean thread, "more than just Kimbo..." or some such.

I got a bag that was "fresh" from Italy, and dropped it in the freeze - it shrunk up tight, a sure sign of a good seal on the bag. I opened it after about a week I guess. It was a dark roast, a proportion of big beans (I think the blend is listed on the website, but I'm not much of a cupper). They were roasted so that the beans were light in weight and I had to add a little extra volume to grind to achieve a normal full basket (I usually dose by volume, not weight).

Taste? I dunno, dark and sweet - but somehow I wasn't tasting just the roast, but the bean flavors came through. Don't ask me to describe them though. It would take a more discerning palate than mine to discriminate it. I would probably need to compare it side-by-side with the Mekico or other blend to notice the difference.

It cost about $65 US per kg here in Sweden (we pay a lot of tax), 10-20% more than the Mekico. Worth it? I'm not sure, but you should decide for yourself by trying it a least once. Passalaqua calls it their best. I liked it in milk for breakfast, and especially after dinner. It did not call for sugar but when I tried it it just tasted great anyway. Almost every shot I pulled just left my palate with a wonderful sensation.

PC

I made it back from Italy with a case of Kimbo "Delicious Taste", that's 6-1 kg bags. Should last for a while. I thought to get more, but I didn't want it to age too much, and between wine & coffee, I was maxxed out on suitcase capacity! The "Delicious taste" is as I remembered, much more refined than the other Kimbo blends I have been able to get in the US.

I had an interesting day in Caserta with my sister & brother-in-law sampling coffee. We had the Kimbo distributor on the phone and he was directing us to the different bars in town that served their different blends well. I wanted to try out a few other blends before settling on the Delicious taste. The variation between bars even for the same blends was interesting. I guess I expected it to be a bit more controlled in Italy. In the end, I still arrived at liking the Delicious taste the best. At least the bags were easier to carry than the 3kg cans!

I did find one other brand that that I meant to explore more/grab a bag, but ran out of time (and luggage space.) That one was Toraldo Arancio. I see they have US distribution, so I'll probably try some when the Kimbo runs low.

Anybody dying to try the "Delicious Taste" before I freeze the stash? I'm willing to trade for interesting samples.

Jim

Jim,

Just curious, did you bring the coffee in your carry on luggage or checked under the plane? I ask just out of curiosity since some have commented about the unpressurized cargo bay "aging" coffee faster, pulling out it's volatile aromatic compounds faster thru the one way valve when the plane is up at high altitude and at a significantly lower pressure.

It would be quite a fun test to carry out.

• Bring two large samples of at least 2 different coffees, a high grown, dense coffee and a typical low grown, softer bean, perhaps an espresso blend with pulped natural Brazillian coffee
• Check one of each into cargo luggage, carry on the other two.
• Test out both samples for signs of premature aging in a blinded fashion.

Tom,

Unfortunately I missed the chance to try that specific test... It all went in my luggage. Coffee makes great protection for wine! . Hard to say if it tastes different, as equipment can make a big difference. It is acting very stable, though. I've not had to adjust grind at all and I'm on the last of Kg #1. I did freeze most after opening the bag, so none has been exposed more than a week.

Not sure if you would see any difference, though, since the baggage and cabin are at the same pressure. It is a round cylinder, remember. No way to just pressurize the cabin without it all blowing apart! Also, animals go underneath all the time.

A better test would be to carry some on an A330, and another bag on a 787. An expensive but interesting test!

Jim

Hey Jim,

I was in a local Italian importer that I hadn't been to in a while and stumbled upon a huge selection of Italian coffees. Mauro, Kimbo, Fantini, Guglielmo, Lavazza, Illy, Saicaf, Danesi, all with several blends of each.
They also had some Kimbo cappuccino mugs and Latte mugs for sale.

Needless to say, I'll be visiting more often.

Mario,

You are lucky. The only coffee I can find in local markets in Baltimore is 1 year + old Top Class!

Love the cups. In fact my family gave me a set of 12 of the new style (tall/narrow) espresso cups. This new design is showing up everywhere in Italy by all manufacturers. I wasn't so sure at first, but I do like them. The smaller diameter enhances the thickness of the Crema.

Jim