Intelligentsia Organic Black Cat Espresso vs Intelligentsia Organic French Roast Blend

people who want caramel + stone fruit from a direct trade roaster

people who want chocolate + molasses from a direct trade roaster

• +Certified organic and Direct Trade on the same bag, which is an uncommon pairing.
• +Ethiopian and Mexican components give the Black Cat profile a different route to the same place.
• +Tagged Comforting rather than Traditional, so it keeps more character than the darker Analog.
• +Only a dollar over the standard Classic for the certification.

• −About $44.75 a kilo, above the standard Black Cat and well above supermarket espresso.
• −Organic certification narrows the farm pool, which can make a blend harder to hold steady across seasons.
• −Only two sizes, and 5 lb is a lot of an espresso blend for a household.

• +Organic certification and Direct Trade on a dark roast, which is rare on a specialty menu.
• +The roast intention stated plainly as extended roasting for a semi-sweet, heavy body.
• +Single named country of origin behind the darkest blend they sell.
• +Only a dollar over the entry blends despite two certifications.

• −A French roast narrows what any coffee can show, however carefully it is done.
• −Filed for drip, so it is not the bag for an espresso machine despite the depth.
• −Only two sizes, and the larger is 2.27 kg to keep fresh.