The past month or so, I've been treating myself to more expensive black liquid... no, no, not the petroleum variety but the caffeine packed stuff. Since I usually have time to make and enjoy my coffee on weekends, I figured no point getting some el cheapo coffee. Anyways, late April I got the Colombia Nariño El Tambo Black Apron exclusive but just last week, I was recommended by my regular Barista to try the Rwanda Blue Bourbon. So of course I did. Anyways, the Colombian, well, tastes like most latin American coffee I've tasted, kinda chocolately with a hint of citrus. Somehow I did not taste any floral notes that were claimed. The Rwanda Blue Bourbon on the other hand was quite good. I like my coffee bold but the Rwanda has complexity and body that I savor in a coffee. I also make them extra thick...

Both are quite good but somehow the Rwanda Blue Bourbon suits my taste better. Goes well with many simple breakfasts or heavier Malaysian fare too which is another advantage!

Well, a new home needs a new coffee flavor for the mornings so this time round, we've gone Sumatran with the daily blend being the Starbucks Sumatra blend with it's intense flavor and morning jump-starting capability -- just the thing to get you going in the morning.

Weekends are supposed to be more relaxing so the Saturday and Sunday coffee calls for an earthly, aromatic and herbal coffee. Obviously weekend treats means the coffee must be good since I have time to savor it a bit. We've also gone to Sumatra, actually, to Siborong-borong on the shores of Lake Toba to be exact! Delightfully intense but low-acidity, it's just the thing for a relaxing Saturday or Sunday morning - Starbucks Black Apron - Sumatra Siborong-borong.

Where else to work when you're at the customer site and you need a change of scene?

Well, for Mother's day, I decided to get Mom the usual bag of coffee. However, it can't be any regular coffee you can find year-round. It had to be some limited or seasonal bean or blend. I know she likes things bold so I went with Starbuck's Papua New Guinea Estate. Having tasted it, it's rather juicy with a strong aroma that has hints of herbal essences. Good breakfast coffee but it's not so acidic so it may be a good start for those with stomach problems but need a caffeine jolt in the morning!

After weeks of Yukon Blend and Ethopian Estate blend, it's time to Change!
Of course I noticed that the new Black Apron Exclusive Ethophian Gemadro Estate is here so one box for Christmas cheer at home and one bag of Christmas Blend for holiday cheer at the office!

Twenty-seven kilometers, two hours, three Starbucks stores, half-a-dozen phone calls and a wet, wet day. That's just to find a unique spicy blend of limited edition coffee beans from Sulawesi. Kopi Kampung it's called and it goes really well if you have a sweet breakfast. The taste is quite unique and takes some getting used too especially if you drink a fair bit of it. After all that effort, I figured that I'll just grab the last remaining stock of 2 miserable bags. Mission accomplished! Find out more about Sulawesi coffee here.

Something I've not tried yet...

Yukon Blend® is a little bolder than House Blend but sill mellow and balanced. The acidity is moderate due to the influence of fuller-bodied coffees from Asia Pacific. A blend of coffees from Latin America and Asia Pacific, Yukon Blend® was originally created for a captain of a fishing fleet and his crew.

What's a good start to a day? Yummy banana balls plus Breakfast blend (curtesy of Starbucks Stesen Sentral -- yup more misspelled Malaysian places) coffee... then followed by great lunch at our favorite haunt - Sin Kee at Brickfields!