I’ll never forget my first William & Sons coffee. I was in between errands and stopped by the shop, which I had learned recently opened. I ordered a filtered Nicaraguan coffee (they usually have at least two filtered options) and was on my way. After my first few sips I confirmed it was one of the best coffees I had tried in a while. Was it also that the sun was shining, I was on my way to meet a good friend, and I was having an already great day? Possibly. But this is what I love about coffee - what we experience is so much more than what’s in the cup. It’s the experience with the brand, the places we drink it (and with Wacaco products, you can drink good coffee anywhere), and really being present while sipping rather than downing it as fast as you can.

While the coffee shop I stopped at was a new location, William & Sons Coffee Co. has been serving up delicious coffee for over 10 years now. Jonathan, the owner, started the company in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 2014 and named it after his father, William. In 2021 Jonathan started operations in New Hampshire. There are now two locations in New Hampshire, with a third coming soon! 

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to try a few roasts from William & Sons alongside the Wacaco products and share my experience with you. You can see and order all the coffees I discuss right here, as well as many more!

Fruta de las Garzas 

First impressions

I opened the bag of coffee and was delighted by the bright aroma. I sensed notes of fresh tropical fruit, which was a pleasant surprise on a rather gloomy morning.

“Mm,” James considered as he smelled the beans, “This is so unique! I’m sensing rose petals, honey, and milk chocolate.” 

We decided to brew Fruta de las Garzas with our Cuppamoka. I set it up and took out the filters while James boiled the water and ground the beans. We brewed two cups of coffee, clinked our cups, and each took a sip.

Tasting notes

James said that the coffee was punchy, fruity, and very different from anything we’d tried recently. 

Personally, I was awed by how the coffee was so light in color but packed a punch with flavor. It was absolutely delicious and bright. I was getting notes of green mango, pineapple, and perhaps watermelon.

James remarked that it had a smooth mouthfeel and a touch of acid that really tied it all together. He also added he could still sense some notes of rose and honey mixed in.

Ronal Monenegro Gesha

First impressions

“Oh, this one is so different from the last,” I said to James as I smelled the beans of the Ronal Monenegro Gesha. It was earthy but floral, a lovely balance! I wondered if I was noting hints of apricot or white peach.

On the other hand, James had a bit of a different experience. After shaking around the beans and taking a few moments to consider, James said he was getting hints of toasted nuts and cherry.

We were so curious what would happen when we tasted this roast as an espresso, so we took out our trusty Nanopresso and made us each our own espresso. 

Tasting notes

I took a sip and really enjoyed the smooth mouthfeel with a nice bite of acid. I guessed that there were notes of grapefruit and brown sugar. I was noticing something new with each sip and it was hard to not drink it all too quickly. 

James reported that he was still sensing cherry, enjoyed the hint of acid and citrus, and that the overall fruity flavor was consistent throughout each sip. He said this was a coffee that he could imagine enjoying on any day of the week and that it really hit the spot!

The reveal

This coffee has notes of dried apricots, clementine, and agave! It gets its name from Ronal Carranza Montenegro, who is a Peruvian coffee producer. 

Las Flores Andre Fernandez

We had thoroughly enjoyed our experiences with the first two coffees from William & Sons, so we were curious and eager about trying this final one. We invited our friend, Kristina, to come do this roast review with us.

“What do you think?” I asked Kristina, as she inhaled the aroma of the freshly roasted beans.

“Hmm,” she considered, “I’m sensing there might be notes of a yellow fruit. I am also getting some floral notes.”

James smelled the beans next and guessed that there might be notes of citrus and stone fruit. I agreed with him and could imagine something a bit bold like a juicy peach. Overall the smell was rich, sweet, and intriguing.

We measured beans using our Exagram and ground them using the Exagrind, then we used the Picopresso to make three crema-topped espressos.

Tasting notes

“This is one of the best espressos I’ve tried,” remarked Kristina. She also shared that she doesn’t typically go for drinking espresso on its own but this was surprisingly palatable and enjoyable. 

I said I was getting notes of lemon and perhaps some pineapple too. It was overall a sweet burst of flavor with low acidity. It seemed like a good contender to use in a cortado, my drink of choice when it comes to pairing with milks.

James agreed on the notes of lemon and said he also could sense tart fruit and florals. He commented on the silky and creamy mouthfeel that made the espresso quite satisfying.

The reveal

This coffee has notes of banana cream, lemonade, and key lime pie. We chatted about how this coffee makes us think of spring and new beginnings. I hope to enjoy it while walking the dog as well as paddleboarding this summer.