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Costa Rica Santa Maria Candy Natural – Tinker Coffee

Andrew Pautler

Costa Rica Santa Maria Candy Natural – Tinker Coffee

Coffee Details

  • Coffee Name
    Crowns Santa Maria Candy Natural
  • Roaster
    Tinker Coffee
  • Roaster Location
    Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Estimated Price
    $45 / 8oz
  • Flavor Notes
    Extremely sweet, port, cherry, kiwi, banana
  • Process
    Candy Natural
  • Varieties
    Catuai & Caturra
  • Country
    Costa Rica
  • Region
    Santa Maria de Dota, Tarrazu
  • Elevation
    1600-1800 MASL
  • Producer
    Ivan Solis & Cordero
  • Roast
    Light
  • Review Brew Method
    Flower, Orea, AeroPress

Coffee Scoring

9.3
Aroma
9.5 / 10
Body
9.5 / 10
Flavor
9.5 / 10
Acidity/Brightness
9 / 10
Balance
9 / 10
Sweetness
9.5 / 10
Cleanliness
9 / 10
Aftertaste
9 / 10
Complexity
9.5 / 10
Flexibility
9 / 10
Pros
  • Very complex fruit profile
  • Sweetness

Disclosure: Pull & Pour received coffee samples for this post, however, as always, all opinions are 100% my own.

One of my favorite coffees last year was the Ivan Solis Candy Natural from Black & White Coffee, so when I saw Tinker Coffee was offering a nearly identical coffee as part of their Crowns line, I knew I had to try it—and it did not disappoint.

The coffee began with a very sweet, candy-like fragrance that was fruit-forward and tropical. The flavor featured a complex fruit profile that reminded me of cherry, berries, and more subtle tropical fruits. The flavor was intense and continued to evolve to highlight different fruit notes as the coffee cooled. It had kiwi-like juiciness in its mouthfeel and a crisp, balanced acidity. The sweetness was a highlight in the coffee with some incredible intensity and punch to it.

The Bottom Line

This coffee is incredibly unique and complex with layers of flavors that made every brew and every sip exceptional and exciting. This variation of the Candy Natural was as good as the Black & White version from last year and will likely make my top coffee list for 2022.

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