Bought El Suspiro beans at Espresso Aube (エスプレッソオーブ) in Nikaho. I say bought, but actually I got it with the point card, and I’m glad I did!

Aube roasts their own beans, controlling the process the whole time, so you know they are good. The dude is pretty serious about his craft, and it shows. Look at the pictures below for their dedication to their craft. Not only are the coffees excellent, well-steamed milk and perfect mixing, the food accompanies it well. We had some flan and a coffee/ raisin cake (have to check the name) that I felt really matched the coffee.

Now, onto the beans. Although this is my first time trying them, El Suspiro beans rank high in my list of favourites.

They are lighter, not a dark roast, which means there isn’t as much bitterness. I prefer these mid-light roasts because of the sweeter flavours they deliver. Extracted properly, or to the best of my ability, and the first thing I notice is a fruity tone, like a pineapple or peach.

I really noticed the aftertaste though. It was quite strong, which is why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I enjoy the Moka beans from Indonesia. That’s just personal preference, but I would still rate the El Suspiro as a good contender for my favourite.

I extracted them using Nel drip, my preferred method. The Nel dripper I got from none other than Coffea in Tsuruoka, arguably the best coffee in the Shonai region.

All in all, I would recommend the El Suspiro beans to people who like lighter roasts, and are ok with a strong aftertaste. I also highly recommend going to Espresso Aube! It’s well worth the one hour drive for us!