Hawaii Kona

First thing this morning, I opened up this nice pack of Mykona coffee labelled Hawaii Kona, the farm where the beans were grown is called "Tokie Farm". I loved how the trace information was actually mentioned on the outside, showing the info means it is usually grown by respected farms or owners.

Some random information on this coffee, there is a story to this coffee, I will not bother you with the details on how it is grown, but we will be starting off by stating a fact. Kona is a protected name, to be used solely on hawaii. They have sued farmers in the past for abusing the name/brand.
It is also the only coffee grown on American soil (USA soil, not the continents).
From what I read, Nasa lets its' astronauts drink Kona on flights in outer space, it would also appear this is the coffee they drink in the White house. President Barack Obama is supposedly a lover of Hawaii Kona.

A few years ago, they found dangerous beetles on the island of Hawaii, beetles that could potentially destroy up to 90 percent of crops, I am not up2date on the current status, but at the time of this news breaking, it was expected that this coffee would become even more expensive.
Right now, it is rated at 80 euros per kilo, which is not cheap at all. Alongside some other Grand-cru coffees, this is considered to be one of the best coffees in the world, I am looking forward to trying the Guadeloupe Bonefieur coffee, which is apparently a very similar coffee bean, but grown in Guadeloupe of course (the name probably gave that away, didnt it)

On to the good stuff, smelling and tasting this very expensive luxury coffee, will it live up to its fame?

First impression, smelling the beans.
Right after opening the package, my nostrils went into overdrive... I almost mistook the beans for chocolate, the smell is that intense, I would say this is the most peculiar coffee I smelled so far.
Mind you, this is not a bad thing, it is a really good thing even, I tend to be a fan of the special tastes/aromas and this one fit the bill completely!

Second impression, smelling the freshly made espresso.
a little less intense than the beans, the odor of a fresh cup of coffee became more clear, I was ready to take a first nip :) This is the Extra Fancy Kona and I had a hunch that "top grade" wasn't just a marketing slogan.

Third impression and usually my favourite, the tasting!
I got a little skeptical, because of the clear chocolate smell i had as first impression, expecting it to be really present in the taste as well, but I was lucky! A mere touch of the chocolate smell, a lot more nut on top of a very clean coffee. It is very peculiar in taste yet flavorful, this was a surprise. But the real surprise was yet to come!
At one point, I was called out, having to leave a brand new cup on my desk. Upon returning, it had turned cold already, now I usually hate cold coffee, it is a drink meant to be anything but cold. Despite that, i tried my luck, took a nip and smiled! It was even better cold...
I had another cold one, just to make sure.
In the end, I have to admit, be it reluctantly, that I prefer this coffee when it is cold.
Don't get me wrong, it is great coffee, but I just love it that little bit more when cold.

I am still surprised :p

Those manufacturers selling canned coffee should be selling this one, it would be a great product for sure! For the record, I also drink canned coffee, yet not so often, I mostly drink that when I am on holiday in China, I love the "Mr. Brown" brand, their "Blue Mountain" is awesome, though i think they offer the Kenyan BM, not the Jamaican.
I will write a review on them in november, when I am going to China, it is actually my marriage that time too, I am already counting the days! I love my girlfriend very much! She makes me more happy than a good coffee in the morning :)


Rating: 8/10 for the hot coffee, I am rating it 9,4/10 when cold
Purchased online from koffiecentrale