How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! Today I am going to be talking about a coffee that is roasted using a unique approach. In my French Press today I have Caffe D’arte’s Velletri Alderwood Roasted Coffee.
Caffe D’arte was founded in 1985 by an Italian family seeking to maintain and pass on the traditional Italian coffee roasting techniques, and their Velletri blend is a coffee that exemplifies this mission. This coffee is roasted on an antique 1949 Balestra wood coffee roaster. Wood roasters require meticulous attention to detail as precision is needed to ensure that the proper amount of wood is maintained in the roaster throughout the entire roasting process. The result, when executed well, is a high quality coffee with subtle and not overpowering smoky undertones which create a complex flavor profile. You can see a video of it on their Instagram here
The Velletri blend is roasted using alderwood, which is known for its subtle sweetness, making it a great option for wood roasted coffee. Using a wood roaster puts a lot of pressure on a coffee company as there is a fine line between a burnt coffee and a unique and delicious roast. Which one is Velletri? Let’s find out!
When rating coffee I follow the same method of brewing each time. Find out about how I prepare the coffee I rate here.
Caffe D’arte Velletri Coffee Review:
The alderwood is present almost immediately with this coffee, as once it is ground there is a terrific smoky scent with just a subtle hint of sweetness.
Once brewed the sweetness began to stand out more with a strong dark sugary sweetness with notes of molasses. This coffee had a medium body, with the weight being just about average, not too bold but not too light.
The cup starts with a deep smokiness; the alderwood shows through here. I was actually quite surprised how much the alderwood stood out, it was similar to the fragrance with a touch of sweetness providing a nice balance to the coffee. The smokiness fades in the middle and the sweetness becomes more prominent, with strong brown sugary notes. This sweetness carries into the finish but fades into a grain-like end.
Overall this was a fun and pretty unique coffee and I definitely enjoyed it. The alderwood and smokiness are present but not overpowering and help this stand out from a normal medium roast by giving it a slight dark roast touch. The wood roasting process gives this coffee a complexity that may not appeal to a regular coffee drinker, but the balance between sweet and smoky may work for them. Coffee enthusiasts definitely should give this one a try.
You can find Velletri and the rest of Caffee Darte’s lineup on the Caffe D’arte website and Amazon, the Velletri is slightly cheaper on Amazon so if you like what you hear I would recommend purchasing it there. A 12 oz bag cost $14.99 (about $19.99 per pound) on Amazon or $15.95 (about $21.27 per pound) on the Coffee D’arte website so this is on the slightly expensive side for a coffee that is not organic, but the wood roasting process makes it a unique cup of coffee that is definitely worth trying!
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