Coffee is the seed of a fruit. So it’s not at all surprising that, in addition to familiar flavors like chocolate and roasted nuts, many coffees inherently have flavor notes that remind us of the kind of sweetness and tartness you might find in other fruits.
Whether it’s a pleasant citrusy acidity, jammy berry flavor, tropical pineapple sweetness, or a combination of all three, these delicious coffees will delight your palate, while reminding you exactly where coffee comes from.
Natural process coffees are known for berry flavors — getting one from Indonesia is a special treat. There’s a hint of cocoa there, but the loudest flavors are ripe strawberry and tropical fruit.
Atomic Bali Kintamani Natural ($18)
Fruity doesn’t necessarily mean acidic. This coffee tastes more like the filling in a berry truffle than a fresh bowl of fruit, and that balance of berry and chocolate flavor is very smooth.
Stay Golden Kovachii ($14.75)
We loved last year’s crop of this coffee and this year’s is even more wonderful. Its silky body carries both fresh and candied fruit flavors, for a truly elegant coffee.
Panther Agroambiental ($21)
We don’t often think of dark roasts as fruity, but the dried fruit notes in this one (think: raisin or fig), fit beautifully with its smoky aftertaste.
Red Bay Slow Burn ($19)
Fruit notes in a coffee often reveal themselves to us in the aroma before we even get a chance to sip. That’s especially true in this Ethiopian coffee, which smells of lemon zest and fresh-cut mango, along with plenty of flowers.
Maquina Ethiopia Worka Sakaro ($21)
We often use the word “juicy” to describe coffees that taste intensely of fresh fruit, and this Kenya is quite juicy indeed. It features complex acidy, with notes of both lime and green apple, plus a blackcurrant flavor that’s typical of the best Kenyan coffees.
Verve Kenya Kabare Peaberry ($21.75)