Simon Levelt - Shakisso Natural Ethiopia 2023

We decided to revisit Simon Levelt, a brand we adored when we started our coffee journey. We had abandoned them later on due to some stale beans and the absence of a roast date on the bags. This time, we opted for their Shakisso Natural from Ethiopia. Assured by a very honest and considerate clerk that this small batch was freshly roasted, we decided to give it a shot.

Upon opening the bag, the smell was quite weak, which did not bode well for the freshness of the beans. However, I was surprised to see some crema in our cup, albeit not as much as I would expect from recently roasted beans.

Advertised as a light roast, I found it closer to a medium roast. The taste was not overly sour or bitter, rather neutral and somewhat flat, lacking the expected clarity. There were hints of fruit, but not as crisp as I would typically expect from a natural coffee.