This time of year, we get a lot of questions about coffee offerings that have spice notes. That extra boost of warming spices is sometimes all you need to craft the perfectly cozy holiday coffee! TJ Salvatore shares some of RNY’s recommendations to make sure your seasonal offerings have the flavor notes you need!

The 2024 Holiday Coffee Favorites

During the holiday season, people are always on the hunt for that perfect, bold cup of coffee. While these coffees frequently have notes of dark chocolate, black licorice, and molasses, we often find customers are looking for a nice spice note as well. Spice notes are most commonly seen in Indonesian coffees, the spice notes you’ll see most often are black pepper and cinnamon. On occasion we’ll also find notes of nutmeg and allspice in certain coffees too.

Sumatra

Sumatran coffee is well known in the industry as being a bold, dark roast option with deep chocolate notes and a heavy body.  Known mostly for its cedar-like tones, we’ll often see coffees from Sumatra produce this black pepper-like note that spices its profile up (no pun intended) from time to time. This gives it an added complexity component that tastes great in any dark roast blend or on its own.

Check out some of our favorite Sumatra offerings for your holiday coffee.

RNY # 57515 Sumatra Mandheling GR1 DP: Bakers Chocolate, Black Pepper, Molasses

RNY # 56983 Organic Sumatra Mandheling Beriah Citra Persada GR1: Black Licorice, Molasses, Allspice

India Monsoon Malabar

The India Monsoon Malabar is great for any dark roast as well as any espresso blend. One of its main uses is to build the crema in an espresso, but it could also be used as a component in any dark blend to increase the body. In addition to adding body, this coffee could also portray an allspice-type of note adding a special edge to any holiday blend.

RNY # 56887 India Monsoon Malabar AA: Bakers Chocolate, Molasses, Allspice

Sulawesi

In the heart of the Indonesian islands lay Sulawesi. This origin produces coffee with such a richness to it similar to other Indonesian regions. Within this cup, you’ll find the mainstream dark chocolate, molasses, black licorice notes you find in others accompanied by a vanilla-like sweetness. However, on occasion, you’ll come in contact with a spice note leaning towards black pepper and/or cinnamon. These notes along with the immense sweetness of the coffee will produce a perfect component for any holiday blend.

COMING SOON! RNY # 57508 Sulawesi Toraja “Sapan Minanga” GR1(GP)

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea coffee is a little out of the ordinary compared to the other Indonesian based coffees. This is because they use the washed processing method rather than the wet hulled. In doing so, Papua New Guinea coffees will still hold the same heavy body as a typical Indonesian coffee would, without the earthy and bolder tones. However, on occasion it will produce these subtle nutmeg-like spice notes usually coupled with a deep chocolate and dried fruit/raisin tones.

RNY # 56390 Papua New Guinea Timuza A (E): Milk Chocolate, Red Apple, Nutmeg

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