Tanzania

We've always had great experiences with anything with either of the words Tanzania or Kilmanjaro on it - they're always fruity and refreshing and eminently gluggable. But this one also claims to give you a creamy mouth feel and not having had the benefit of a public school education we're not sure that's something we want to be party to. Still - nothing ventured, nothing gained, so we dive in anyway. As a Tanzania coffee this one is slightly disappointing - it hasn't quite got the zesty tang we were hoping for, but then it never claimed to have that in the blurb on the packet. We certainly got no blueberry nor apple - and probably would never want to either. It's nice enough and would recommend it on taste alone - but there's a slight fly in the ointment. This stuff is bloody expensive - it's currently £6.50 a bag! Sorry guys - we can't justify that. It would have been an 8, but it's down a point to 7/10 for the sheer cost.

Here at Judge Central we do like a nice Tanzanian and the higher it's grown, the better. And you don’t get much higher than Kilimanjaro. This batch must have had Chris Moyle’s large frame stomping all over them as the beans are small. They’re also pale and dusty, but after a good grinding the smell kicks out and you’ll be getting a citrus waft so familiar for coffees from this region. In our French press this really foamed up and kept its head even through pouring. It just looks very damn appetising. Plus it has the taste we wanted: citrus, lemon, flowery… whatever you want to call it. It’s different, quirky and good. The light roast also means you can’t cock it up. Your hands could be shaking more violently then the day after a week’s bender with Oliver Reed and you’ll still get a great cup. The only downside for us was as we like our coffee strong, we had to use a shovel when loading the grinder, which meant this packet didn’t go very far. 6 cups I ask you! So it’s an 8/10

This advertises two words we like to see: Peaberry and Tanzania. So we're getting quite excited by this one. As you bring this brewed cup up to your face you do get the slightly citrus waft, and on the first sip - you get it too. But from then on in this coffee is just too mild for me. It's lacking any real depth of taste - it's way too subtle. After the gulp, there's no powerful rasp down the back of your tongue - when it's gone, it's gone, and that's it. This is rated at strength 4 - so I did try and spoon it up a notch to try and ring a bit more out of it: don't try it. If you make this one too strong then it's going to ruin all of the subtleties and you make as well be drinking a cheapo Lavazza. This is a strength 3 and has been over-rated, that's all. For my taste then, just a 6/10.

As soon as you open this packet, the smell of top notch coffee just pours out all over you, even though it's a whole bean coffee and not even ground yet. Grinding it just amplifies the aroma - it's like the aromatic version of the Siren's song - once you smell this baby you would cross a barren desert for days just to track down the source. This one is easy to make too - you can throw in as much as you like, and it just gets better and better. You will never reach the point of a throat burner. And finally the taste - it's heaven. Yes, slightly citrussy, but now we are coffee drinking pros, we like that. Do your self a favour and get some. (10/10)

Our first Starbucks - people have been asking Where are the Starbucks?!!  So we picked this one to start, drawn in by the idea that this tastes of black currants. First things first: it doesn't. Again we fall foul of the self grind and I think over grind it, giving a very muddy coffee resulting in a dry taste. There's nothing else that stands out about this - which is shocking considering the whopping £4.25 price tag. That's nigh on double the cost of a packet of the Taylors Hot Lava Java. Needs a second try. Initial Judge rating just 5/10!

This one is not bad at all. Looks and smells great - the whole room had the warm and welcoming feel from the aroma wafting off these 3 cups. the pale head was there at the start, and stayed there all the way down to the bottom. A very full taste with maybe a hint of a sour aftertaste that lingers for a while on the very back of the tongue. This is a strength 3 officially - but it's hitting above that I think - a 4 easily. Judges rating 7/10