Taste of the Week. Cohiba “Atmosphere” Cuban Coffee

Taste of the Week

Cohiba “Atmosphere” Cuban Coffee

I keep an eye on the offerings at Dublin’s FIXX coffee and glad that I do when I can get my hands on a coffee as good as this Cohiba “Atmosphere”.

The beans are sourced from The Isabelica Plantation of Gran Piedra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (one of only two coffee plantations in the world to receive this accolade).

At over 1,000 meters above sea level and surrounded by hardwood trees, the coffee plants develop under the shade of the leafy trees. A natural refuge for rare birds making the almost inaccessible region into a Biosphere Reserve. The exceptional conditions found in this small area ensure that we are getting something very rare with these bird-friendly gourmet coffees.

This is a superb coffee, intense rather than strong, excellent body with the hint of cocoa undertones. A knockout premium coffee, something of a fist in a velvet glove. It is 100% Arabica and is expensive but quite a treat.

Fixx 

Unit 9, Naas Road Business Park, Muirfield Drive, Naas Road , Dublin, D12 X3H7

I like the cha cha cha

I like the cha cha cha

They like to cha cha cha, they like to cha cha cha 

Everybody likes to cha cha cha

I used to love that old Sam Cooke song and now I got another Cha Cha Cha in my life. For the past few days I’ve been sampling three Cha green teas that I bought from Fixx Coffee  in Dublin. 

Cha Very Berry Tea received the accolade of a Gold Star in the Great Taste Awards 2012. They are handpicked and sourced from single estates at the foothills of the Himalayas. “Our Cha Teas are organic and certified by the EU Regulatory Authorities”.

Opened up the packet and picked the Golden Mango, with naturally extracted flavours of Mango and Vanilla, for the first tasting. The aromas were absolutely fantastic. But would they be too much for the flavours. No. Sure, I still savoured the smells but also loved the flavours. Wow. What a winner! A delicious flavour enjoyed either hot or cold, I’m told, but I haven’t tried it cold yet.

Then on to the Spring Mint. The aromas here were unmistakably those of spearmint, really cool and clean. A beautiful cup, fragrant and cooling. Must make sure I have some in for the summer.

The teabags are made from non chemical bleached filter paper and each tin contains 25 x 1.5g teabags (Tin Size 37.5g).

Finally, it was the turn of the Pure Green. Pure tea, boy, supple and dry, unhindered by any fancy flavours yet doing the job in a firm yet calm and relaxing manner. That it is full of antioxidants helps!

Cha Teas perform best when brewed for 2-3 minutes at 90C and served in a 250-300ml cup. Keep an eye on your cuppa – use a timer! You don’t want to spoil a good thing.

The teas were part of an offer on the Fixx Coffee site and naturally there was also some coffee on offer. I tried their Cubita Roasted Beans. They said this “is an exquisite coffee that has strong earthy tones, with a hint of smokiness and a caramel finish, it is the most popular brand of coffee in Cuba”.  Must say I agree one hundred per cent with the tasting notes here. A classic in a cup!

So now I move from Cha Cha Cha to Bolero: the music beating insistently out in the sun, load conversastions, a cup of cubita on the table and an eye out for the señoritas. Only an eye though as  mi señora, who also loves the cubita, is keeping an eye on me!

CLASSY DECAF FROM CAFE de CUBA

CLASSY DECAF FROM CAFÉ de CUBA

“Good coffee needn’t be comprised by decaffeination.” That is the opening statement in a leaflet from Café de Cuba. And the accompanying pack proved it to me in uncertain fashion.

Their Decaf is not the most muscular of coffees you’ll come across but that may be its strength. It is very user friendly in the mouth as the palate is covered by the smooth, almost chocolate, liquid. But it is not overly sweet as the acidity helps provide a good balance and there is quite a pleasant lingering finish.

Hard to believe that this is a Decaf. By the way, I drank it without milk, without sugar, comme d’habitude.

The other pack in the sample was their Really Good Organic Coffee, all the way from small farms in Peru. This too is easy drinking, with hints of chocolate and vanilla, is smooth and well balanced and a welcome cuppa at any time of the day.

Aside from these two, Café de Cuba imports quite a range of coffees from Cuba itself, exotic names such as Montecristo and Serrano among them. Check out the fascinating site here and find out about the coffee plantation that is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Santiago blend that was launched in Harrods a few years back.

Café de Cuba are also the exclusive distributors of Cha Teas in the UL and Ireland and you can see our recent review of a selection of these here.