Roast Review: Stray Cat Coffee
Roast Review by: Sheila Murray, Photos by: Linked Ring
Stray Cat Coffee is a small-batch roaster with a big heart and an important mission. Rooted in the Pacific Northwest, they craft thoughtfully sourced, carefully developed coffees. From vibrant single origins to smooth, cozy blends, every roast feels intentional and adventure-ready, especially when paired with our Wacaco gear.
What sets Stray Cat Coffee apart for me is their dedication to helping real stray cats. A portion of their efforts supports feline rescue and care, turning every bag of coffee into something meaningful. Therefore, brewing a cup of Stray Cat Coffee isn’t just about enjoying excellent coffee, it’s also about being part of a mission that gives back, one pour at a time!
Let’s dive into our experience trying three Stray Cat roasts.
Classic espresso blend
First impressions
I don’t typically pay much attention to the packaging that the coffee beans come in, but I loved that these bags were reminiscent of loose-leaf tea packaging—clean, simple, and elegant.
When I opened the bag, I paused to take in the aroma of the freshly roasted coffee. It was wonderfully potent, with notes of dark chocolate and lemon peel, balanced by a sweet, lively acidity.
My friend Elaina smelled the beans next and immediately commented on how rich the aroma was. She loved that it carried a noticeable sweetness as well before passing the bag to James.
“I’m getting cinnamon, cloves, and dark chocolate,” James said thoughtfully. “And orange peel!” he added.
Tasting notes
“It’s so strong and delicious,” said James. “I’m getting notes of toasted almonds. It’s very nutty and smooth with a little hint of acidity at the end”
Elaina took a sip of her espresso next and said it was, “tight on the tongue but also quite smooth and round.” She was surprised how palatable it was as she typically doesn’t like espresso on its own.
Personally, this blend surprised me with how smooth it was, as I had expected something a bit more intense. Instead, I was delighted by a well-balanced melody of flavor and notes of chocolate and lemon peel. I could also sense the almond notes James commented on.
The reveal
Stray Cat does a beautiful job sharing the story behind each coffee as well as the cupping notes. This espresso has “balanced bittersweet notes, thick and opaque body, almond and chocolate roast flavors, hints of peach tea, spice, jasmine,” they say.
We’ve had some cold weather lately and this coffee was the perfect salve for chilly chilly weather.
Rwandan coffee
First impressions
When I opened this bag, the first thing we noticed was how much sweeter it smelled.
“This one is sweeter,” Elaina said, “I’m really looking forward to seeing what it tastes like!”
“Oh yeah wow,” James said. “I’m getting notes of honey, vanilla, caramel.”
Elaina nodded. “I can really smell the caramel. This one is less intense, very pleasant, and not overwhelming.”
“I’m just overwhelmed by how good it smells,” I said with a laugh. “I’d like to smell this coffee every morning!”
We all agreed it would probably make a really good chocolate-covered coffee bean. Yum!
Since we already had everything out for making espresso with the Picopresso, we decided to do the same process. The result was three gorgeous, crema-topped espressos.
Tasting notes
Elaina was the first to comment on this coffee, sharing her experience of lemon cream and an overall mellow delicious taste.
James sensed notes of sugar, lemon, and cream as well. He said he could almost sense a tea-like body and flavor too.
I agreed with the overall mellow notes and tea-like experience. There was a lovely bouquet of flavors and some sort of spice I couldn’t quite place.
This is certainly a fun one to drink amongst friends on any occasion.
The reveal
In Stray Cat’s words, “Syrupy sweet at range of roasts, brightly accented top notes, mouth-pleasing texture, and spiced finish. Caramel, semi-sweet chocolate, tea, dried lemon, coriander, cinnamon bark.”
By the time we finished off these two delicious espressos, we were caffeinated enough! So James and I tried the final coffee the next day.
Yemen Sharqui Haraz
First impressions
James was the first to smell the beans and share his initial impression.
“I’m getting fruit, spices, stone fruit, cinnamon, and brown sugar,” he said.
“Wow,” I remarked, “that was such a quick and specific list!”
I took a little more time to smell the beans and gather my thoughts. For me the coffee was quite vibrant, juicy, sugary, and intense. I was curious if it would end up leaning more toward earthy chocolate, optimistic fruit, or a mix.
We decided to try this roast using our Minipresso GR2. We prepared two crema-topped espressos and took a sip to reveal the tasting notes.
Tasting notes
I loved how sweet my first taste of the espresso was. I could certainly sense the intensity of the espresso and notes of dark chocolate, but it was also quite fruity. I enjoyed the syrupy mouthfeel and molasses undertones.
James agreed that there were notes of dark chocolate and perhaps something like cherry. He said this one was one of his favorites as of late and would be a real crowd pleaser.
The reveal
This Yemeni coffee is a limited roast from Stray Cat. It has aromatic notes that go from “earth-toned to delicately spiced, rustic-tinged sweetness, thick body, mild acidity. Deeply bittersweet dark roasts, with traces of fruit and tobacco.” We recommend trying it while you can!
