Roast review by: Sheila Murray 

 When I first visited the website of Memli Coffee Lab, I felt a deep sense of relaxation and curiosity. If you visit, you’ll see why. Memli is a boutique coffee roaster out of San Marcos, California and coffee roaster Mehmet Sogan is the 2024 United States Cup Tasters Champion. Every bit of their branding is elegant and their commitment to curating a sensory journey begins at the first impression.

Each coffee we tasted went through a small batch, boutique roasting process. Even if you don’t see the exact coffee we reviewed when you go to try them for yourself (trust me, you’ll want to!), our sipping experience will give you an impression of the caliber of coffee to expect. I’m delighted to share my experience drinking two of their roasts, with the help of my trusty Wacaco products.

San Lorenzo by Yulissa Chambi Caranavi Bolivia 

First impression 

The coffee bag was sleek, minimalist, and on brand with the spa-like experience I felt upon my initial homepage visit. I also appreciated the informative cards that accompanied the coffee, so I could continue my education of Memli and their partnerships. 

I tore open the bag and shook it around, releasing the aroma into our kitchen. 

James brought the bag a bit closer to himself and inhaled the smell of the freshly roasted beans. He said that he sensed rose and honeysuckle notes and complimented the light and sweet aroma overall. He passed the bag over to me.

“Ooh I get the honey too!” I said. There was also something floral and sweet, as well as a fruit I couldn’t quite place. James and I went back and forth on what the fruit could be. Pear? Raspberry? We weren’t sure and we decided to see what the tasting revealed.

I ground the beans while James boiled the water. We decided to use the Pipamoka for this coffee. I was curious to see how the vacuum extraction would complement the notes we were already sensing.

Tasting notes 

“Hmm,” considered James, “It’s so smooth but also has a lot of flavor. I’m getting bright fruit, flower essence, and a hint of citrus at the end.”

I agreed that it was incredibly smooth and easy to sip. We usually drink our coffee black anyway, but even a milk and sugar regular would need less with this one because it’s so delicious and light. 

Overall the brew was smooth with a light mouthfeel and floral notes. There was also a subtle fruit and perhaps citrus. 

The reveal 

Memli says that this coffee has notes of blackberry, pomelo and hibiscus.

Once we read the tasting notes, James was astonished how obvious the blackberry notes were as he continued to sip. What a delicious, sweet brew! We agreed it was the perfect coffee to follow up a run by the sea.

Shyira Nyabihu Rwanda 

We enjoyed the first Memli coffee so much that we dove right into the next one in the afternoon of the same day.

First impression 

I opened the bag and took a few moments to see what I smelled. I instantly sensed that this coffee was a bit more potent than the first one. There was something tangy and citrusy that took me by pleasant surprise. There was also an undertone of dark chocolate.

“It smells like a chocolate orange that I would see around Christmas time as a kid,” I said to James. 

James took the bag next and wafted the aroma of the beans. He paused, pensively, then shared that he was getting notes of flower, fruit, and caramel. There was a certain sweetness that was different from the last.

We took out our Picopresso, Exagrind, Exagram, and Gauge for this one. We worked as a team to prepare the water, beans, and Picopresso and, in the end, we had two of the most gorgeous espressos we’d ever made.

Tasting notes

“WOW!” I said, upon first sip,” I don’t think I’ve ever had anything like this. It’s hard to put into words to be honest.”

If I had to give it words, I would say that the espresso had notes of citrus (perhaps orange or lemon), honey without the syrupy mouthfeel, and an overall airy essence.

 James said that he was experiencing really intense, bright fruit notes with a little sugar at the end. He commented on a specific sweetness that hit the middle of his tongue, and the light acid that came through at the end. 

The Reveal

Memli says that this coffee has notes of tangerine, honey, bergamot, and floral.

Enjoy this one as an afternoon pick-me-up or before an outdoor adventure with friends.