During a cupping session of master roasters Rick Maas and Arnout de la Rambelje, I am present to take photos. In the tasting room where it is clean and orderly like a laboratory, the gentlemen go about their work with utmost concentration and punctuality. Today the filter coffees are being tasted and evaluated. Everything is arranged and the gentlemen get to work. It is a procedure that will take about an hour but I briefly describe what I witness:

First, freshly ground coffee is smelled. Noses disappear into the many cups where the released aromas of different coffees are assessed. Then hot water is poured on the grind and observed how the coffee "blooms" and releases odors. After a short rest period, a so-called crust forms on the surface of the mixture of ground coffee and hot water. To one of the tasters the honor of being the first to "break" the crust. With a cupping spoon, the mixture is stirred. The released aromas are thoroughly sniffed in order to properly assess the aroma. After this, tasting is finally allowed. With the cupping spoons, the coffee is noisily slurped and dispersed in the mouths. Thus, the various characteristics such as acidity, body, sweetness and aftertaste are assessed. The overall flavor profile is evaluated. A digital scoring system is used to assess the different aspects of the coffee. This helps quantify the quality. After Rick and Arnout process their individual ratings, evaluation is done. Further details I am not allowed to release but unanimously the Panama Mi Finquita Limited Edition is rated as a taste sensation.

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