My first experience with Vinhal Estates coffees came from Sumo Coffee with a set of thermal shock coffees offered through the coffee club earlier this year. I was blown away by the quality and uniqueness of the coffee and was excited to try more of what Vinhal Estates had to offer. Vinhal Estates has been a family-run business since 1988 and is an award-winning producer, producing very high-quality coffees in the heart of Minas Gerais state, in the Cerrado Mineiro Region of Brazil. Their coffees feature a wide range of flavor profiles from “grape starfruit” to “honey propolis.” One of the most unique from the set though was this “chocolate hazelnut,” which tasted more like Nutella than any coffee I’ve ever tried.
The coffee begins with a rich chocolatey aroma similar to many you’ll find in Brazilian coffees. As I began to sip the coffee though, I realized how unique and different this one was from many other smooth, chocolate-toned Brazilian coffees I’ve tried. The chocolate and hazelnut profile paired together perfectly with a bold sweetness that create a profile so similar to Nutella, it was shocking after the first brew. The mouthfeel was full of mouthcoating chocolate similar to rich drinking chocolate. The sweetness was full of milk chocolate and the finish sat heavy in your mouth and lingered long after every sip.
The Bottom Line
After trying thousands of different coffees through the years, I always get excited when I try a coffee that is unlike anything I’ve tried before. This Chocolate Hazelnut—and all of the coffees from Vinhal Estates—was just that and was a true joy to drink.
