Java Planet, Organic Coffee Beans, Costa Rica Single Origin, Gourmet Dark Roast of Arabica Whole Bean Coffee, Certified Organic, Grown at High Altitudes, 1LB bag

Today I received my first order of Java Planet Costa Rican dark roast, 3 weeks after it was roasted. I have been drinking Volcanica Sumatra Mandheling Reserve dark roast and love that but wanted to try another coffee that is very strong on environmental protection and fair trade. This Java Planet comes from LA Hacienda Astrud, where 90% of the land remains as a huge rain forest and the coffee trees are shaded as well by banana trees. Now ... the taste and getting there. Inseparable from a lovely odor when I opened the bag and poured all but my 8 oz cupful into an airtight vacuum container so that it will store well. Then ground with my conical burr grinder for my DeLonghi Alicia electric moka pot -- which I love and which is so much more consistent than my Bialetti classic. Added spring water (cold, but that is so controversial either hot or cold) and patted gently the ground coffee with a finger, not pressing but evening it out. Then screwed the pot top on and turned on its electricity. Three minutes later, my Costa Rico coffee was ready. Poured it in a 12 Oz glass and added with Zulay frother ($8) half and half froth to top the glass. Is it diluting the coffee too much to use a tablespoon of half and half instead of milk? I dont think so. This coffee is not at all overwhelmed. The taste comes through completely,just mellowed a little bit. I describe all this because maybe out there is some newcomer like me to quality coffee who will wonder just what I did to get such a perfect cup of coffee. The taste.... the chocolate note comes first, not as strong as Sumatra(or with Sumatra "pay attention" bold note) but inviting with a caramel touch following chocolate as the coffee slides over the roof of my mouth. And then another taste I can't describe but it is pleasant and unassuming. At the same time it is lovely as it lingers. After that comes the swallow, which invites the next sip. There is not the slightest bitterness, which sometimes can happen when a dark roast is ground too fine. Did I mention that this Costa Rican dark roast is low acid and low caffeine so there is unlikely to be any avid indigestion or coffee jitters? Since this coffee invites me to have more, that is also a plus. And it is sometimes misunderstood that dark roasts are less likely to create acid indigestion or caffeine jitters even though the taste is "strong." I can also feel good about the wildlife on 90% of the rainforest reserve that brought these coffee beans from farmers treated fairly. I am impressed by the environmental and fair trade conscientiousness of LA Hacienda Astrud, which created the preserve by donating its own land and has been recognized by UNESCO and Smithsonian. Three cheers for Java Planet for carrying a Costa Rico coffee that has it all! Clearly I will order again, probably going to the Java Pl anet website to do so.

This coffee is fantastic! We love a dark roast and this blend is perfect for us. Smells wonderful and it taste great! Love that it's organic too

Wonderful bold flavor. Used a burr grinder (so much better than a blade grinder and worth the money to get even ground size). Easy on the tummy. Resealable bag is nice. A bit expensive but for the number of cups you will get out of it is worth it and kcups are expensive.

We really love this dark roast. We like our coffee strong and fresh, which is why we always buy whole bean—and this one is awesome. It brews a smooth, rich cup with great flavor and no bitterness. Sometimes we mix it with medium roast beans for a unique blend, but this coffee is great. If you’re into bold coffee that’s not harsh, this is a solid choice.

Very oily, even for dark roast, the flavor is very mediocre and has a slight acidity in it showing it's not the freshest you can find.. It's still drinkable.