Empire Blend is 100% relationship coffee, AND award-winning?

The other day, I received the an email from Perry (Victrola's head roaster), concerning our Empire Blend.

I was putting some Empire Blend in a jar today and realized that the 3 beans in that blend are all Direct Trade in one way or the other. Atlas Coffee has a direct relationship with the Colombia Monserrate community, we have a direct relationship with the Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa, and the Brazil we use, Fazenda Esperanza Lot 302, is Bruno's [our Brazilian coffee importer's] farm! And to top it all off, two of those coffees were reviewed by Coffee Review at or above 90 points (Colombia & Brazil), and we all know how good the Guat is (last year one of FVH's lots was the #7 winner in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence).

Holy smokes, the man is right! All three are relationship coffees; and all three have been evaluated among cuppers of the greatest international distinction, and have performed at the highest levels. We all feel a little sheepish that we hadn't realized this sooner; but we hadn't set up any criteria for the creation of the Empire Blend other than a certain flavor profile. It was just coincidence that we chose to use these three amazing coffees. So drink up that award-winning relationship coffee, and try it if you haven't! They serve it up in the French press at our cafes, and you can have it shipped to you via our online store, as always.