Our Style We seek to create extraordinary coffees with multilayered flavor characteristics and a unique sweetness. Although Café Privé Sélect coffees are characterized by this complexity of flavor, through a meticulous roasting process, we are able to coax out the natural smoothness and refined character inherent in only the world’s greatest coffees. Flavorful, Sweet, Refined and Delicate. This signature taste of Ciel Café Privé Sélect is ultimately what leads to elegantly smooth coffees, perfect for savoring. Savoring Coffee We begin by sourcing and roasting coffees on the basis of their possessing the ability to be savored. The result is a coffee unlike any other. Café Privé Sélect coffees are produced with the idea that coffee should be uniquely sweet, smooth and nuanced enough to savor and be best enjoyed black. It is no accident that Café Privé Sélect coffees evoke certain flavor responses. Ciel creates coffee with a taste profile so exceptional that you can allow yourself to languish in awareness, sip after sip, of brightness, texture, flavors and aftertaste. Sourcing It is our unique and innovative process of green coffee selection that sets Ciel apart and ensures the procurement of the world’s finest coffee lots. We enjoy relationships with the world’s most elite and progressive coffee estates who employ exemplary growing and handling practices, agricultural standards and who take great pride in the quality of coffee they produce. Among these select coffee estates we have developed a reputation for seeking out only the finest coffee lots produced within a particular vintage and in having the willingness and determination to do whatever is necessary in the acquisition of these exceptional coffees. It is in the cultivation of our relationship with these coffee producers and their appreciation of our desire to purchase only the most outstanding coffee, that we are afforded the first opportunity to acquire the world’s most exceptional coffee lots from each harvest. Expertise It takes years of experience in coffee and agriculture to master the complexities of the coffee bean, its harvest, proper roasting techniques and processes. As a Licensed Quality Grader and International Cup of Excellence judge, our founder, Jen Stone, has spent the past two decades studying and preparing for the selection of only the finest coffees available worldwide. This expertise is evident in the way she embraces the nuances and complexities of each coffee harvest. It is with this knowledge and careful scrutiny along with a rigorous quality examination that Jennifer determines whether a particular coffee meets our Café Privé Sélect requirements for inclusion into our coffee portfolio for that vintage. As the creators and purveyors of Café Privé Sélect, we take immense pride in knowing that each and every coffee within our portfolio is truly the world’s most exceptional. Join us and take advantage of our unique access to the ultimate coffee experience. Café Privé Sélect is the Ciel proprietary designation as the world’s most rare and exceptional coffee. It encompasses a range of factors from altitude to variety, with heaviest emphasis on complexity of flavor, sweetness and exclusivity.

The first Kenya coffee deserving of the name Ciel was discovered by ascending narrow dirt roads into the remote and mountainous Kirinyaga region, a high altitude, highly regarded coffee producing area in the shadow of Mount Kenya. In contrast to the scraggly trees of neighboring estates, Kiamutugu grows thick and lush, thanks to imported organic fertilizer from Northeast Europe and the nurturing hand of the owner — a man we refer to as Saint James — who oversees every detail from harvest to milling. While the exquisiteness of the beans alone determine Café Privé Sélect designation, it is equally satisfying to support the efforts of growers like Saint James, who has created a sustainable biosphere including tomatoes, macadamias, bananas and livestock, capable of feeding the community, including 250 children who attend a school he constructed on the estate.

Just like wine, coffee has different varieties. A specific subspecies or genetic makeup that plays a role in how it grows and tastes. In wine, there is Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay. In coffee, you have Bourbon, Caturra, Geisha and SL28. In wine, considering the variety is an excellent place to start in beginning to determine what glass you might want with dinner. In coffee, the variety has capriciously become the topic of conversation due to the high auction prices (and quality) of the Geisha variety. Yet, otherwise, variety is not at forefront of the coffee selection process by consumers. As so much happens to the coffee cherry after being picked, relying on the variety to dictate, or take the lead the flavor is not in the highest contributing factors. *By the way, the words “variety”, “varietal” and “cultivar” are used interchangeably in coffee parlance.* There are thousands of coffee varieties with new hybrids being created each year. That said, there are about 20 – 30 that are most common in specialty coffee today. We can explore a few and learn about their general taste characteristics and how they are utilized by producers. Bourbon – from the island of Bourbon (now Reunion Island); smaller cherries, and different varieties are red, orange or yellow when ripe. Has a light body; sweet taste Caturra – named after a town in Brazil; mature shrub is small; works well for espresso A truly wild Caturra Geisha – originated near Gesha, Ethiopia; grows better at higher altitudes over 5000 ft; distinct floral characteristics, tea-like. The Rockstar - Panama Geisha Pacamara – created in El Salvador from Pacas and Maragogype cultivars; large beans; bright acidity SL28 – created by Scott Laboratories; disease resistant; pronounced acidity and red fruit flavors SL28 from Costa Rica - SL28 from Kenya Some varieties were created for resilience, some for flavor. Challenges arise in discovering these distinct tastes, as roast styles and brewing methods combine to alter the final cup. As you explore the world of coffee, understanding varieties can help you discover preferences. For example, I don’t care for the taste that the Castillo variety has – it has a harsh, hard, cinnamon spice aspect. However, in 2008 – 2009, Colombia had a perfect storm of pests (broca), leaf rust (la roya) and weather issues (el Nino and la Nina). Castillo trees were planted across Colombia, which were hardy and resilient, and they saved the country from a devastation and about one-third of the country in questionable employment. I have had it washed, natural processed and blended with other varieties, like catuai, and it dominates the process. On the other hand, I do like savory Pacamaras, which have a hint of alliaceous flavors. So, when you see a coffee brand include the variety on the already crowded coffee information panel, it isn’t showy or vanity, but rather an effort to assist and educate. More on that in future posts. As you explore the world of coffee, understanding varieties can help you discover new preferences.

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Our Approach. Ciel is an independent, small batch coffee roaster with a passion for selecting and roasting only the world’s finest coffees. Our commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of our process, from the way in which we procure our coffees to our precision roasting protocols and finally, in the attention to detail we attribute to each coffee at every step along the way. From the world’s elite growers to your cup, you can be assured that each and every coffee within our portfolio is the world’s most exceptional. Our Style. We seek to create extraordinary coffees with multilayered flavor characteristics and a unique sweetness. Although Café Privé Sélect coffees are characterized by this complexity of flavor, through a meticulous roasting process, we are able to coax out the natural smoothness and refined character inherent in only the world’s greatest coffees. Flavorful, Sweet, Refined and Delicate. This signature taste of Ciel Café Privé Sélect is ultimately what leads to elegantly smooth coffees, perfect for savoring. Savoring Coffee. We begin by sourcing and roasting coffees on the basis of their possessing the ability to be savored. The result is a coffee unlike any other. Café Privé Sélect coffees are produced with the idea that coffee should be uniquely sweet, smooth and nuanced enough to savor and be best enjoyed black. It is no accident that Café Privé Sélect coffees evoke certain flavor responses. Ciel creates coffee with a taste profile so exceptional that you can allow yourself to languish in awareness, sip after sip, of brightness, texture, flavors and aftertaste. Sourcing. It is our unique and innovative process of green coffee selection that sets Ciel apart and ensures the procurement of the world’s finest coffee lots. We enjoy relationships with the world’s most elite and progressive coffee estates who employ exemplary growing and handling practices, agricultural standards and who take great pride in the quality of coffee they produce. Among these select coffee estates we have developed a reputation for seeking out only the finest coffee lots produced within a particular vintage and in having the willingness and determination to do whatever is necessary in the acquisition of these exceptional coffees. It is in the cultivation of our relationship with these coffee producers and their appreciation of our desire to purchase only the most outstanding coffee, that we are afforded the first opportunity to acquire the world’s most exceptional coffee lots from each harvest. Expertise. It takes years of experience in coffee and agriculture to master the complexities of the coffee bean, its harvest, proper roasting techniques and processes. As a Licensed Quality Grader and International Cup of Excellence judge, our founder, Jen Stone, has spent the past two decades studying and preparing for the selection of only the finest coffees available worldwide. This expertise is evident in the way she embraces the nuances and complexities of each coffee harvest. It is with this knowledge and careful scrutiny along with a rigorous quality examination that Jennifer determines whether a particular coffee meets our Café Privé Sélect requirements for inclusion into our coffee portfolio for that vintage. As the creators and purveyors of Café Privé Sélect, we take immense pride in knowing that each and every coffee within our portfolio is truly the world’s most exceptional. Join us and take advantage of our unique access to the ultimate coffee experience. Café Privé Sélect is the Ciel proprietary designation as the world’s most rare and exceptional coffee. It encompasses a range of factors from altitude to variety, with heaviest emphasis on complexity of flavor, sweetness and exclusivity.