I was stunned by the taste of coffees I know well, to the point of leaving the evening early for some shut eye and driving to Guildford for Saturday morning opening time. I'm entirely with Dave when he says tests are futile because once tasted you have nothing to prove to yourself, you simply vow not to ruin any more of your beans.

Why? Well, it's as if a blocker, some kind of veil or heavy dilution is taken out of the way allowing you to taste the bean for the first time. It's not the freshness that struck me most but the pure definition of flavour. My first roasts were already in the cupboard within an hour of arriving home, sealed and being checked from time to time.