Over the last 3 years Qima’s Yemeni Auction has developed into a global phenomenon, as roasters race to get their hands on beans from what has become one of the most sought-after origins in specialty coffee. We are thrilled to have secured an Auction Lot of Yemenia for the first time, which takes pride of place as our opening Limited Release Rare of 2022. When the samples arrived at the roastery last year, the Colonna team took part in a score-less, silent cupping. The goal was to single out our favourite cups without any bias that can come from the third-party scoring or table-discussion. Though the whole table presented an array of bold and incredibly expressive lots, a few were a step above the rest. They provided a more balanced, bright, fruit-driven profile that shone through the prominent processing accents which dominated some of the other cups. One in particular was so clean and full of red and purple notes. It was sweet and syrupy, reminding us of hibiscus, but with a bold, lasting character, somewhat reminiscent of kirsch. It was Auction Lot 10. This coffee has layers of complexity that continued to surprise us as we profiled it for launch. As it develops, we describe it as golden, with incredible aromatics, leaving the mouth coated with fresh, clean sweetness. In a word, it’s spectacular.