Peet's Uzuri African Blend

Review - Peet's Uzuri African Blend Coffee

Sometimes the very name of a dark roast coffee intrigues me. That was the case with Uzuri African Blend. The Name caught my eye, then when I found that it was a dark roasted blend, I had to try some and pass on the information I obtained.



This coffee is grown on small farms in East Africa. Uzuri, when translated from Swahili into English means excellent or beautiful. Peet's is very involved in helping the farmers grow better coffee. On Peet's website, there is a photo slideshow about the growing and processing of the coffee cherries.




When I got home with the coffee and opened the bag up. The aroma of the unground beans hit me - it smelled like the smoke from a fire - but instead of the smoke odor being bitter, it was slightly sweet. I had a couple of things that distracted me before I could grind the beans up. In that time, the kitchen filled with this rich, smoky, dark roast aroma.

The beans were very dark and oily - this is usually the sign of a top notch coffee. Upon grinding, the smoky aroma became deeper. I thought, "If the aroma is this good, the coffee must be really tasty stuff."

I tasted this coffee as an Americano. The brewed liquid was very dark in color and smelled wonderful. The first taste of the unsweetened brew had an exceptionally smooth mouth feel with only a slight bitterness. As the coffee cooled, I did not notice the usual bitterness that seems to accompany most dark roasts as they get cold.

After I sweetened the brew, I noticed that the flavor lingered a bit longer than it did when it was black. The finish was very clean.

I think that this coffee is excellent for just about any time of day. It would be very good for having with any meal during the day. The flavor is bold, but will not overpower any food that it is served with.

Here is a video about the folks who grow Uzuri Blend...enjoy!




As always, may your next cup be your best.