Dogwood Coffee Company

Mom was right – cleanliness is next to godliness. And that's the attitude at PT Toarco Jaya. Most Indonesian beans are allowed to ferment with their sugary pulp intact, a process that leads to rich, complex flavors. Still, it's often difficult to eliminate another distinct taste – dirt. But these beans keep it clean, prepared with all pulp (and dirt) washed off. The result made our taste buds jump for joy – finally, a distinctly Indonesian coffee without that distinctly Indonesian aftertaste. Expertly roasted by Dogwood Coffee, this luscious, herbaceous brew compliments its round body with earthy notes of lemon, plum, and spice that finish fresh and clean.

This plucky number is like the Serge Gainsbourg of coffee—audacious, bold, and of French descent. Grown in Thika, Kenya at an elevation of 1,525 meters, the beans are a Bourbon variety believed to be brought to the country by French missionaries. The estate, owned by the Harries family, plays a large philanthropy role by supporting the education and skills training of the community’s children. But first and foremost it produces great coffee. To wit, after this brew is roasted by Dogwood Roasting Co. of Minneapolis, it takes shape with concentrated and jammy notes that stretch out through its savory finish.