​Unlike other species in the animal kingdom, humans are predominantly visual: around 90% of the information our brain processes is visual. This hinders the development of short- and long-term memory linked to the other four senses. For this reason, developing gustatory memory, for example, requires training, and not everyone has the same capacity to do so, due to differences in sensory receptors. Each person's ability to perceive and register sensory details is unique and is influenced by both physiology and the culture and environment in which we live.

​1. Classic Natural Fermentation

In the classic natural process, coffee cherries are picked and then dried with the fruit still on the bean. The fruit's sugars and pulp influence the flavour during drying. This method gives the coffee a fruity, sweet, full-bodied profile with rich, bold notes.

Our go-to flavour profile: We look for deep, fruity, and sometimes wine-like flavours. Most often, they have a heavy body and a rustic profile but with a sweet aftertaste.

​Journey to Origin: This process begins with a visit to cooperatives and a meeting with coffee producers and exporters at origin. Two trips are made; one during the harvest, where no cupping takes place, and another approximately a month when the harvest ends. During this last trip, we cupped around 500 samples per week, which is a pretty intense process. Here the pre-selection is carried out.

​Umami is described as the fifth flavour, along with sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It is a savoury flavour that can be found in foods such as tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, and aged cheeses, and is attributed to the presence of glutamate in these foods. Glutamate is a neurotransmitter, responsible for sending messages between neurons and the brain. All foods, including coffee, contain some amount of glutamate. Tomatoes, cheese and mushrooms contain high amounts of glutamate. However, in coffee, it is unlikely that this flavour is derived from free glutamates, as there are very few free glutamates present in green coffee. Therefore, it is more likely that the umami flavour that we sometimes find in certain lots is attributed to other compounds and substances present in coffee.

From a sensorial perspective, the acidity of Ethiopian coffees is as diverse as the number of acid components that a coffee bean has. Like sweetness, cleanliness and texture, acidity is fundamental in our sensory analysis and selection work. It is important to note that in the long journey of coffee from the plant to the cup, the acidity and all the sensorial attributes can be modified, enhanced, damaged or eliminated.

​Pseudoscience is a tendency to make claims without any scientific basis. For example, anti-vaccine activism can cause people to forego proven medical treatments, which can lead to death or serious health problems.
 
In our beloved industry, unfortunately, we often come across "pseudo-scientists" who make assertions that are not based on scientific methodology, but rather are based on "coffee mythology" (if such a thing exists), or ideas that are more fabrication of the industry, than serious scientific studies regarding a given topic.
 
Let's take the concept of a cup profile for a minute. How on earth, could someone assure what the cup profile of a given origin is?

​But from a professional and objective point of view, are all coffees with experimental processes good coffees?

​In Kenya, after a certain lot has been processed, it will be delivered to the Marketing Agent (MA) in parchment by the producer or cooperative. The MA then, will mill and grade the lot by shape and size, and give this lot an unique "Outturn Number" (ON), before delivering a sample to the Nairobi Coffee Exchange. This ON will be crucial to provide transparency and traceability to the system.

1. What is memory?

Memory is the process through which we obtain, store, retain and access information. Human beings are capable of perceiving reality through experiences, which we classify and store. This process allow us to survive, cause if we were not able to access past experiences to decode the new ones, we would be living each day in a constant chaotic state of wonder, terror, happiness or stress. Memory in simple words, simplifies our life and balances our central nervous system.