In 2023, Espresso Assessment blind-tasted greater than 3,000 espresso samples from a whole lot of main roasting firms and low producers around the globe. We finally printed almost 600 opinions on CoffeeReview.com over the course of the yr. The High 30 Coffees of 2023 is our editors’ rating of the 30 most enjoyable of those coffees, representing roughly 5 % of the coffees we reviewed.
That is the 11th yr now we have compiled our High 30 listing. This annual occasion helps our mission to assist customers determine and buy superior-quality coffees, whereas additionally serving to acknowledge and reward the farmers and roasters who produce these coffees. The High 30 celebrates and promotes espresso roasters, farmers, mill operators, importers and different coffee-industry professionals who make an additional effort to provide coffees that aren’t solely very good in high quality but additionally distinctive in character.
In 2023, solely about one out of 4 of the greater than 3,000 coffees we examined scored 90 factors or increased. However over 215 of them — round 8 % of the whole — earned 94 factors or extra, a tribute to the ever-intensifying innovation and dedication of the world’s main espresso producers and roasters.
Nevertheless, we at all times provide the caveat that scores alone have limitations. Espresso lovers could nicely take extra pleasure in a lower-rated espresso that matches their style preferences than a higher-scoring espresso that isn’t their type. We do our greatest to characterize a espresso’s character within the “Blind Evaluation” paragraph of our opinions, and much more succinctly within the “Backside Line” that concludes every evaluation. We encourage readers to look past our total scores and rankings to determine the coffees that they discover essentially the most thrilling and satisfying.
For these inquisitive about how we conduct our testing and ranking processes at Espresso Assessment, see How Espresso Assessment Works. For what scores imply with respect to the big selection of espresso types and qualities, see Deciphering Critiques.
Troublesome Decisions
All the coffees that rated 94 factors or increased in 2023 are worthy of celebrating, as are lots of the distinctive and thrilling coffees that didn’t rating fairly as excessive. Clearly, not all the coffees incomes 94 factors or extra can seem within the High 30. We compelled ourselves to pick out the 30 we felt had been essentially the most thrilling.
As in previous years, we chosen and ranked our High 30 coffees primarily based on high quality and distinctiveness (represented primarily by total ranking), worth (mirrored by most inexpensive worth per pound and worth relative to related coffees), and consideration of different elements that embody uniqueness of origin, type, processing technique, tree selection, certifications akin to Honest Commerce and natural, and normal singularity.
In every of the 11 years that now we have printed our High 30 listing, together with 2023, our high choose has been a single-origin espresso — which means a espresso from a single nation and area (and normally from a single farm or cooperative).
Wilton Benitez Pink Bourbon Colombia, roasted by JBC Espresso Roasters, Espresso Assessment’s #1 espresso of 2023. Courtesy of JBC Espresso Roasters.
#1 Espresso of 2023
This yr, we chosen the 98-point Wilton Benitez Pink Bourbon Colombia roasted by JBC Espresso Roasters in Madison, Wisconsin because the #1 espresso. The evaluation from July describes the espresso as “a sublime, decadent, pied piper of a espresso with its mesmerizing aromatics and addictively complicated cup with notes like blackberry jam and frankincense — you’ll discover extra descriptors than you possibly can depend on each fingers.” This espresso takes its originality and complexity partly from a very meticulous model of the stylish anaerobic processing technique.
That is the primary time a espresso from Colombia has earned the #1 spot. Coffees from Panama have earned the highest spot 5 occasions, in 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2017 and 2022, the highest espresso was from Yemen. Coffees from Hawaii (2018), Kenya (2016) and Ethiopia (2013) have beforehand earned recognition as Espresso Assessment’s #1 espresso of the yr.
High 30 Statistics
Rankings and Value
The common total ranking for coffees on our High 30 listing for 2023 is 95.6 out of a potential 100, in keeping with, however barely increased than, previous averages.
In 2023, the common worth of the coffees on our High 30 listing was $124.56 per pound. (Coffees bought in non-U.S. currencies had been transformed to U.S. {dollars} for averaging functions.) Nevertheless, that determine is skewed upward by the extraordinarily high-priced (~$1,750 per pound) #3 Princesa Carmen Geisha from Taiwanese roaster GK Espresso, which was a Better of Panama competitors winner that attracted an awfully excessive worth as a inexperienced espresso on the 2023 Better of Panama public sale. In the event you take away this espresso from the calculations, the common worth drops to $68.48 per pound, which is decrease than the common of $79.34 in 2022.
Husband and spouse staff Gary and Kai-yun Liao at GK Espresso (roaster of 2023 coffees #3 and #6) in Yilan, Taiwan. Courtesy of GK Espresso.
As in previous years, higher-scoring coffees in our 2023 High 30 tended to price greater than lower-scoring coffees:
- 97- and 98-point coffees (4) ~ $492.00/pound (sure, skewed)
- 96-point coffees (12) – $95.33/pound
- 95-point coffees (11) – $49.52/pound
- 93- to 94-point coffees (3) – $26.22/pound
Worth
One of many choice standards for the High 30 is worth, measured by worth per pound relative to coffees of comparable high quality and magnificence. Lots of the coffees on our listing are priced in keeping with related, although normally much less distinguished, specialty coffees within the market.
Roadmap CoffeeWorks (roaster of 2023 High 30 coffees #22 and #26) tasting room in Lexington, Virginia. Courtesy of Roadmap CoffeeWorks.
Seven coffees had been priced at lower than $30 per pound, or the equal of $22 per 12-ounce bag:
- #7 Crimson Rooster, Ethiopia Shantawene Washed, 96 factors – $22.00/12 oz.
- #12 Kakalove Café (Taiwan), Kenya Washed Kiambu Windrush AA, 96 factors ~ $10.52/8 oz.
- #17 Speckled Ax, Sumatra Lintong Kardon, 95 factors – $21.00/12 oz.
- #23 Buon Caffe (Taiwan), Kenya Machakos, 96 factors ~ $12.65/8 oz.
- #24 Peach Espresso, Blue Sunda Property Java, 94 factors – $19.00/12 oz.
- #26 Roadmap CoffeeWorks, Tanzania Nyasi Furaha, 94 factors – $19.00/12 oz.
- #29 Bassline Espresso, Bali Kintamani, 93 factors – $21.00/12 oz.
In case you are looking for High 30 coffees which are nonetheless accessible on the market, go to our Store for the High 30 web page, which supplies hyperlinks to the roasters’ web sites the place the coffees could also be accessible. On the time this text was printed, 14 of the High 30 coffees had been nonetheless accessible for buy.
Origin
With seven appearances, Colombia is essentially the most continuously cited origin in our 2023 High 30. The possible cause is the surge in progressive processing strategies amongst some Colombian espresso producers, notably these within the southwestern departments of Cauca and Huila. In reality, 4 of the High 30 coffees, together with two of the highest 4, had been grown by the identical Cauca producer, Wilton Benitez. With the Benitez coffees, the standard emphasis on fastidious agricultural and harvest processes and admired tree varieties was bolstered by a strikingly detailed and progressive method to processing, or fruit removing and drying, which concerned a double-anaerobic fermentation of the entire fruit in sealed tanks with yeast added, and sterilization of the cherries with ozone fuel and ultraviolet mild. Modifying cup character by way of such complicated processing strategies brings espresso nearer to the world of wine, and should nicely sign a elementary change in how superb espresso can be created and understood sooner or later.
Wilton Benitez, producer of JBC Espresso Roasters’ #1 espresso of 2023, at his processing facility in Colombia. Courtesy of JBC Espresso Roasters.
Hawaii and Kenya had been second in variety of placements this yr with three coffees every, whereas Ethiopia, Panama and Peru every seem twice. Filling out the listing had been 11 origins represented by one espresso every. Two of the 30 samples had been designated as meant for brewing as espresso.
Tree Selection
When describing final yr’s High 30 listing, we wrote: “There are stars and superstars among the many a whole lot of types of Arabica grown on this planet at present, and coffees from these distinguished varieties proceed to dominate the very highest rankings at Espresso Review.” Selection seems to be as vital as ever in each the manufacturing and advertising of the superb single-origin coffees we have a good time in our newest High 30 listing.
Laura Ross and Karen Paterson checking on bushes at Hula Daddy Kona Espresso, grower and roaster of Espresso Assessment #2 Kona Pointu. Courtesy of Hula Daddy Kona Espresso.
For instance, this yr, seven of our High 30 coffees had been produced from bushes of the celebrated Geisha (additionally spelled Gesha) selection, the Ethiopia-derived selection that burst onto the world espresso stage throughout a inexperienced espresso competitors in Panama in 2004, breaking all ranking and worth information. Probably the most uncommon selection on the listing appeared at #2, the 97-rated Hula Daddy Kona Espresso Kona Pointu. Bourbon Pointu (botanical selection identify “Laurina”) is a pure mutation of the well-known Bourbon selection, first detected on Reunion Island within the Indian Ocean. The Bourbon Pointu is legendary for its naturally low ranges of caffeine, bean form (small and tending to be pointed on the ends, therefore “pointu”), and pungently fruit-toned cup.
A touch of a potential development confirmed up with the looks of a espresso of the Sidra selection at #4, and coffees from bushes of the Pink Bourbon selection at #1 and #20. Sidra and Pink Bourbon have lengthy been regarded as pure hybrids of the Bourbon and Typica varieties, however the newest genetic analysis signifies that each are Ethiopian varieties that had been carried to Latin America, a lot as Geisha was. Neither selection has been traced in its motion from Ethiopia to Latin America, though in each instances the standard cup suggests Ethiopian character and florality.
Processing Technique
Remarkably, in 2023, processing technique was disclosed for each espresso on the listing, maybe indicative of the growing consciousness within the espresso world of the significance of processing technique in figuring out cup character. Half (15) of the 30 are conventional washed coffees, which means fruit pores and skin and flesh had been eliminated earlier than the espresso was dried, normally selling a clear, sweet-tart cup with a typically acquainted “espresso” character. Two extra are wet-hulled, the primarily Indonesian variation on the washed technique that encourages complicated spice and savory notes. Six of the 30 are naturals, which means the beans had been dried in the entire fruit, a observe that usually encourages sweetness and fruit.
Tim and Patricia Coonan, house owners of Large Shoulders Espresso and roaster of the #13 Colombia Wilton Benitez Thermal Shock Geisha. Courtesy of Large Shoulders Espresso.
Seven of this yr’s High 30 coffees, a rise of simply two from 2022, had been processed utilizing variations of the anaerobic technique, through which a fermentation step takes place in sealed, reduced-oxygen containers. This demanding process, performed proper, typically encourages a lactic sweet-sour construction and infrequently shocking and authentic aroma and taste notes.
Roasters within the High 30
In 2023, 5 roasting firms positioned two coffees every on this yr’s High-30 listing:
This focus of coffees from sure roasters is definitely not intentional. In reality, we make a deliberate effort to reduce repetition and maximize selection amongst roasters that seem within the High 30.
The Kakalove Cafe staff at their roasting facility in Chia-Yi, Taiwan. Courtesy of Kakalove Cafe.
To that finish, this yr we consciously restricted appearances within the High 30 to a most of two coffees per roaster, no matter what number of extremely rated coffees that roaster produced. Whereas that will look like an arbitrary restrict — and it’s — it’s vital to do not forget that our listing represents our rendering of essentially the most “thrilling” coffees of the yr, not essentially the highest-rated. We felt that it wouldn’t be very thrilling (to us or others) if the High 30 listing was dominated by a handful of roasting firms that produced a very massive variety of extremely rated coffees over the course of the yr. As an alternative, we felt readers could be extra excited to examine superb coffees from a broader number of roasters.
The household staff on their farm at Rusty’s Hawaiian, producer of the #8 Grand Champion Crimson Bourbon Pure. Courtesy of Rusty’s Hawaiian.
That stated, Espresso Assessment has been, from its inception, dedicated to beginning with what we really expertise within the cup, not with product classes or advertising issues or trend. It’s true that we take into consideration extrinsic elements like worth, rarity and sustainable intentions once we slim the variety of candidates from a whole lot to simply 30. However finally, sensory high quality and distinction within the cup, as decided by blind-tasting and mirrored in ranking, is the entry level for consideration and one of many major elements that influences the place coffees land on the listing.
Midtown Sacramento location of Temple Espresso Roasters, roaster of the Ethiopia Halo Beriti Single-Origin Espresso, #15 espresso of 2023. Courtesy of Temple Espresso Roasters.
Roasting Firm Location
Of the 30 coffees on the listing, 23 had been roasted by firms in america. Six coffees had been roasted in Taiwan, up from 4 in 2022, persevering with a development of accelerating espresso high quality and presence in Taiwan. Each Kakalove Café and GK Espresso – roasters in Taiwan – appeared on the listing twice.
Revel Espresso (#11 Colombia Calderon Honey) roaster Gary Theisen monitoring a batch of espresso on a Loring Kestrel at his roastery in Billings, Montana. Courtesy of Renata Haidle.
For the third yr in a row, a espresso roasted in Japan appeared within the High 30. SOT Espresso Roaster from Osaka, Japan roasted the #25 Colombia El Paraiso Geisha Luna Washed.
Please take pleasure in our listing of the High 30 Coffees of 2023.
All the perfect from Espresso Assessment for a cheerful and affluent new yr, stuffed with each espresso surprises and the reassurance of the superb and acquainted.
