The world of Specialty Coffee has grown enormously in the past twenty years. Improvements in agriculture, roasting and packaging now allow an incredible variety of great origin coffees, blends and flavors to be available to the customer. I have spent the last thirteen years roasting, tasting and selling coffee and have to say that the coffee that I will be writing about today is a personal favorite for many reasons. Just thinking about Kauai Estate Reserve brings back the fragrant smell of coffee flowers mixed with plumaria and other exotic flowers on and around what I affectionately call "The Farm". Kauai Coffee is the largest coffee farm in the United States, with 3,400 acres of coffee trees. Literally millions of trees stretch as far as the eye can see bearing fruit that after being harvested, pulped, dried, hulled, graded and cupped will become Kauai Estate Reserve. Kauai Coffee Company, on the south side of Kauai, HI is one of the most technically advanced coffee farms in the world. Unlike many other coffee farms, the operation on Kauai is all inclusive, allowing for quality control from start to finish. Every batch is cupped and graded by the farm and the State Department of Agriculture before it is allowed to have the Trademark of origin. The coffee is then ready to be shipped to a roaster where the coffee will be finished. Hawaiian coffees are for the most part mild and delicate in the cup and Kauai Estate Reserve is no exception.

Unlike most perishable food products such as wine and cheese, the quality of coffee is truly determined at the point of sale. In the hands of a capable roaster an incredible coffee can be created, however it must be ground, brewed and served properly for that creation to be complete and satisfying. There are many methods for roasting coffee, all creating a distinct and different final cup. The same coffee can taste completely different from roaster to roaster depending on their methods and choice of cup profile. Kauai Estate reserve is a relatively soft bean and must be roasted carefully to bring out the best cup. This past year's crop has been a customer favorite for its milk chocolate notes and slightly spicy finish. My cupping results have noted a hint of cardamom lingering in the finish. Mild with a medium to light body this is a perfect all day coffee or a great fit for that special Holiday breakfast that isn't complete without something special and rare. Kauai Estate Reserve competes very well against other Hawaiian coffees both in the cup and the pocket book.

About the Roaster

Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc. is a roaster of specialty coffees in West Yellowstone Montana. At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc., we are passionate about the close knit coffee community, from "seed to cup" and are proud to roast and provide some of the best coffees in the world on our website catalog and at our West Yellowstone, MT Coffee House.  At Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc. we feel it is important to roast our coffees appropriate to the origin characteristics rather than to a particular roast color.