Sumiyaki Charcoal Roasted Coffee

Most of you already know that I am an Aussie in Japan and hence the name of this blog, Japan Australia. Some of you might also know that I am originally from Melbourne in Australia, one of the coffee capitals of the world.

Melbourne’s love affair with coffee started back in the 1950’s with the arrival of Italian and Greek immigrants. A whole generation of immigrants brought their European-style espresso machines to Melbourne, starting a coffee culture and way of life for Melburnians.

Living in rural Japan, it’s been a lot harder to cure my coffee fix. The Gifu/Aichi area of central Japan, where I live is well known for its coffee shops, but it has been hard to find a good cuppa. 

 

The Japanese Coffee Company offers premium coffee that is not available anywhere else in the world. Recently they started a new product, Sumiyaki Charcoal Roasted Coffee and being a huge coffee lover, I just had to give it a try.

 

Sumiyaki means charcoal roasted in English and has been a hidden treasure in Japan since 1933. This unique Japanese method of roasting coffee beans enhances the taste and aroma.  Binchotan charcoal is used to roast the beans due to its high steady heat and long burning time, which produces a unique flavour of coffee. 

 

The coffee is roasted in Hokkaido by Sapporo Coffee Kan. The low temperatures and humidity in Japan’s northernmost prefecture are perfect for coffee brewing. 

 

You can purchase a variety of different coffee blends from the Japanese Coffee Company from single origin and blended coffee to certified organic and decaffeinated.

We ordered the Colombia Arabica Caturra Pital Mountain Single Origin Premium Coffee and had the choice of grinding the beans ourselves or having them pre-grinded for us. 

 

The Taste Test

The coffee has a wonderful rich aroma thanks to the unique sumiyaki roasting method. The coffee has a strong, bold full-bodied taste that is not too powerful and bitter. There is a smooth, smokey aftertaste with no unpleasant bitterness. It was delicious to drink. This is one coffee that certainly has a unique flavour profile and background.

If you are looking to try a truly unique premium coffee that is only available in Japan, check out the Japanese Coffee Company’s Sumiyaki Charcoal Roasted Coffee blends.