Strength 3

The Judge's reviews of Strength 3 coffees. Read our reviews here then leave your own comments and rate them out of 10.

Percol Fairtrade and Organic Latin America Arabica Coffee

Percol Latin America Arabica CoffeeThe folks at Percol came up trumps and delivered the Judges a box of freebies - one of every single Percol. (Thanks Niomi!) This is the first then of a Percol Marathon we're going to have to do over the next few weeks. First things first - when you see all of them together you really can't tell the difference - the packaging all looks like a scene from Predator. All jungle-y and, let's face it, a bit tacky. No continental style and sophistication in sight. This one looked great on arrival, a nice froth on the top. But there's a weird taste to this one - and a very long lasting after tase. It's just a little bit too "sharp" - if there is such a thing. Mind you, having read the side of the packet they are claiming "grapefruit" - which is sharp as hell. Why the hell would you want a f*cking grapefruit in your cup? That's a trait they need to engineer out of this one, not boast about. It's still OK though, just above the average at 6/10

6.25
Average: 6.3 (4 votes)
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Grumpy Mule Organic Bolivia Cafe Femenino Coffee

Grumpy Mule Organic Bolivia Cafe Femenino CoffeeThe first one of these was exactly as they described it. Creamy. I don't know how this happens, but it was definitely a sickly sweet, milky brew. Now if that's your thing, then all well and good. But it's not mine and I had real trouble finishing the first one - it was scoring a 4/10. They also claim a lingering finish - and they're not wrong. The taste just doesn't go away. It Kinda Lingers.  So for this afternoon I broke the rules, went to 7 spoons for three cups and held back on the milk a bit. This time we get something which has lost it's creamy-ness for sure, and for me is more palatable. But as ever when having to spoon a coffee up to high strength levels to mask its failings, there's a price to pay. It's slightly harsh with a bit of an aftertaste. This coffee is nothing more than OK. It actually tastes like a cheapy - yet in our local deli it's a whopping £4.50 a pack. All in all then, a lowly 6/10.

4.8
Average: 4.8 (5 votes)
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Illy Espresso Medium Roast Coffee

Illy Espresso Medium Roast CoffeeWe've been putting off this one for some time on the grounds of cost. How can anyone justify £6.13 for a standard pack of coffee? It would have to be phenomenally good. Errrr - it is. From the moment you hold the sturdy tin with its brushed aluminum lid in your hand, you know it's gonna be good. The lid unscrews with an engineering precision - this is not just any old Ikea storage jar. Inside, the coffee is again sealed with a ring pull membrane, which opens with a satisfying rush of air. As far as coffee packs go - this is as good as it gets. We've done two cups today and both are packed full of flavour and somehow feel fresh. Like the coffee is straight out of the roaster. There is definitely a hint of the "floral note" they claim on the tin - maybe slightly citrus even. The grind is very fine - which means some care is needed to press it down slowly, otherwise you could end of with a mouthful of grinds. All in all - it can't be faulted. But sorry - it cant get a 10 score - at over six quid a tin it's just crazy money. It's more of a gift package than an every-dayer. Come on Illy - make us one in a standard vacuum pack for half the price and we'll be on it everyday. Until then it's a 9/10 from this Judge.

8.80556
Average: 8.8 (36 votes)
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Percol Colombia Arabica Coffee

Percol Colombia Arabica CoffeeAfter yesterday's Percol Debacle with a strength 4 that was so weak, sickly and milky that I may as well have just have put my mouth directly on the cow's udder, we decided to really spoon this one up as even Percol grade it a strength 3 - which as we all know is the weakest coffee strength known to man. So at 7 spoons the initial waft wasn't bad - I could smell coffee over the cow shed - and it looked fine too. It looked professional. But professional coffees are never really that good are they? I mean, they start well, but after a few glugs you're used to it and wishing you'd just stayed at home and made one yourself. They claim "a hint of nuts" - which is the usual bollocks - unless it refers to the bloke who does their packaging which this time looks like a packet of salt and vinegar. So - ideal for those after-dinner-party moments where you don't want to disgrace yourself, but don't want them hanging around too long discussing it. Drink and go. 5/10

4
Average: 4 (7 votes)
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Cafe Direct Medium Roast Coffee

Cafe Direct Medium Roast CoffeeFirst thing in the day this was a real disappointment. I think we always knew it - it is just the "medium roast" - there's no poncy name or flowery language on the back of the pack. First mouthful you may be fooled into thinking this is ok - but after a few glugs you're getting nothing. We used 6 spoons for 3 cups, so we could up that and try again, because it's definitely not horrible like the cheapo French ones we've supped. A lowly 6/10

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Taylors Cafe Imperial Coffee

Taylors Cafe Imperial CoffeeIt's a strength 3 and it's early afternoon. We're risking it here, but that's how we live life down these parts... on the edge. We did 6 spoons for three cups and it came out looking very caramelly. I was dreading the first mouthful - but it was kind of OK. They claim "citrus" on this one - which in my world is a by-word for "utter-bollocks". The trouble is that this thing gets weaker as you go. As your buds adjust, that first initial mini-hit diminishes to nothing and I felt as though I've ended up with mug of milk. A five year choir boy could punch harder than this one. Needs redoing with a few more spoons. Rated 4/10.

6
Average: 6 (13 votes)
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Taylors Colombia High Andes Coffee

    Taylors Colombia High Andes CoffeeFrom reading the blurb on the packet from Taylors (see below) you'd expect this to taste more like a fruit bowl than coffee. Well thank god it actually is coffee. The only way you'll taste "lemony citrus notes" in this is if you suck on a lemon for half an hour before hand. Why is "lemony" a desirable "note" to have anyway?  And what the f*#k is a "note" and why is it in my cup? Anyway - the coffee is pretty fine - heavy and full of flavour. There maybe is a slight metallic aftertaste - you can still feel the coffee ten minutes later. For that reason I'd take it down a peg from a Judges rating of 7 to 6.

7.42857
Average: 7.4 (7 votes)
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Cafe Direct Kilimanjaro Tanzania Coffee

Cafe Direct Kilimanjaro Tanzania CoffeeThis one is not bad at all. Looks and smells great - the whole room had the warm and welcoming feel from the aroma wafting off these 3 cups. the pale head was there at the start, and stayed there all the way down to the bottom. A very full taste with maybe a hint of a sour aftertaste that lingers for a while on the very back of the tongue. This is a strength 3 officially - but it's hitting above that I think - a 4 easily. Judges rating 7/10

7.8
Average: 7.8 (5 votes)
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Tesco Finest Colombian Supremo Coffee

Tesco Finest Colombian Supremo CoffeeA good white foam on this one - it looks fantastic. But the taste is dry, bitter and lemony. The aftertaste really stays on your tongue too - there's no escaping this one once you've swilled some down -you're committed to this thing for the next 15 minutes, like it or not. Maybe it needs a bit more sugar than normal to try and balance it out. It doesn't have that cheap French-Hypermarket-Coffee burn, but it may as well be as cheap as it's as undrinkable - just in a different way. A very low judge rating of 4/10.

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Sainsburys Taste the Difference Costa Rica Tarrazu Coffee

Sainsburys Taste the Difference Costa Rica Tarrazu CoffeeThis came out lovely with a nice head on it in the mug. The strength was good and bitter - but it just lacked that smoothness that you need to help a strong coffee slip down. It was slightly fighting with my throat on the way down - resisting being drunk. There's a slight citrusy twang to it, not in Fairy Liquid kind of way; much more subtle. This could be due to the slice of lemon cake I ate just beforehand though. The packaging of these Sainsbury's Taste The Difference coffees is all wrong though - and I think that sets your mind ready to eat a packet of raisons and not drink coffee. I'm sure that's caused it to lose a point... Judges Rating - 7/10

7
Average: 7 (5 votes)
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