Ninety Plus 90+ Coffee Bean Varieties and Flavor Characteristics - Are 90+ Coffee Beans Expensive?

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style).

Ninety Plus Coffee: The Pinnacle of Premium Coffee

Ninety Plus Coffee, a premium coffee supplier from the United States, was founded in 2006. In the decade since its establishment, Ninety Plus has allowed coffee professionals worldwide to recognize its unique charm, leading an unprecedented wave of premium coffee enthusiasm. Since its first coffee in 2007, it has been the precious top choice for coffee experts and competition competitors. Today, 90+ coffee beans have become synonymous with world-class premium coffee, with taste and quality far surpassing any other precious coffee varieties.

Understanding the Level System

Within Ninety Plus's flavor profile, there is a "Level" designation, indicated by the number following the "L" in the product name. For example, L12 means Level 12. This Level roughly corresponds to price proportion. It represents a green bean grading model: based on quality, quantity, and production cost, Ninety Plus continues to grade its already excellent green beans as follows:

Level 7: Single Origin Harvest

Rare varieties with delicate flavors and special characteristics are hand-picked and then processed using Ninety Plus's unique methods to achieve standards exceeding Ninety Plus requirements.

Level 12: Single Origin Harvest

The website uses descriptors like "unmistakable and indelible" to indicate that beans of this grade offer a taste experience that every coffee enthusiast will remember for a lifetime.

Level 21 (L21), Level 39 (L39)

These are mostly Gesha varieties grown in Ninety Plus's Panamanian estates. The specially Red-processed Ethiopian Nekisse Red also belongs to Level 39 (L39).

Level 95 (L95), Level 195 (L195)

These are beans from high-quality microenvironments in Panamanian estates, processed through patent drying technology after lengthy screening processes. They achieve the highest taste standards in the design. Most are also processed under the personal care of founder Joseph. Annual production may only reach tens to dozens of kilograms. These are collector's items.

Kemgin: The Signature Coffee

Origin of Name: This is a coffee from Nekempte town in western Ethiopia. Its characteristics are lively, clean, with light fruity, citrus, and ginseng notes. The "kem" in Kemgin's name references Nekempte, while "gin" references "ginseng." Kemgin-flavored coffee is now produced in Wellega, Sidama, and Yirgacheffe regions.

Kemgin has been officially renamed "Wild Ginger Flower." Compared to the 2015 Kemgin, besides the floral notes, it retains the rare juice-like body of washed beans. This year's Wild Ginger Flower brings higher sweetness, gradually transforming the original peach flavor into uncommon orange candy notes. We highly recommend friends try this year's Wild Ginger Flower.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's Wellega, Sidama, and Yirgacheffe regions.

Altitude: 1750-2000m.

Processing Method: Washed.

Flavor Profile: White peach, lime, honeydew melon, ginseng, carob.

Hachira | Level 12

Origin of Name: Originating from the Aricha region series developed by Ninety Plus with S.A. Bagersh from 2006-2008. This coffee was named "Hachira." Hachira coffee has distinct juice characteristics, rich floral aroma, typically carrying elderberry or blackberry notes, sometimes with herbal basil notes.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's Achira region.

Altitude: 1750-2000m.

Processing Method: Natural.

Flavor Profile: Rich floral aroma, distinct juice characteristics, with elderberry, blackberry, herbal basil notes, and also lactose-like flavors.

Nekisse Red | Level 39

Origin of Name: Red-processed Nekisse is like its vibrant, strong younger sister. Sugar-sweet, possessing its sister's classic fragrant wood and nectar notes while being independent and aware of its charm, unafraid to express itself. Tasting it feels like deeply experiencing a richer, deeper Nekisse, as if someone outlined Nekisse's contours and added bold eyebrows to accentuate the most beautiful details on its enchanting face.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's Wellega and Sidama regions.

Altitude: 1750-2000m.

Processing Method: Ninety Plus's patented "Red Processing," which approaches but surpasses natural processing.

Flavor Profile: Red processing enhances blueberry, cherry, and dark chocolate notes while maintaining fruit-chocolate balance and its multi-layered texture. The balance is achieved with remarkable subtlety. This is a rare excellent coffee.

Nekisse | Level 12

Origin of Name: In 2009, this coffee was named after "Nectar from Shakisso," meaning this coffee has flavors like nectar from Shakisso town in Ethiopia's Sidama province. Nekisse's characteristics are creamy smooth texture, intense berry jam notes, with some batches even carrying citrus and mixed tropical fruit flavors. Although initially grown in the Shakisso region, later Nekisse comes from Wellega and Sidama regions, only retaining the name. We believe Nekisse grown in Sidama maintains the original nectar and berry characteristics, distinguishing it from all other Ethiopian coffees.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's Wellega and Sidama regions.

Altitude: 1750-2000m.

Processing Method: Natural.

Flavor Profile: Clean, multi-layered. Balanced by peach, berries, passion fruit, cream, milk chocolate flavors. A classic excellent coffee. From hot to cold, it continuously brings surprises of night-blooming jasmine, blueberries, fragrant wood, and cocoa.

Tchembe | Level 7

Origin of Name: Although this year's Tchembe comes from Yirgacheffe, the name comes from Haricho and Bolo variety coffees from the Amaro mountains. These two varieties processed naturally have carob and banana flavors. Tchembe coffee has soil and chocolate-like richness, with richly layered citrus and berry flavors.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's Yirgacheffe region.

Altitude: 1750-2000m.

Processing Method: Natural.

Flavor Profile: Noticeable richness upon entry, with earth and dark fruit flavors, also light citrus notes.

Juliette | Level 39

In Ninety Plus's Geisha estate, there's a path from the farm house to the coffee drying area. Walking on this path, you'll see a row of exceptionally beautiful datura flowers. At dusk, these bell-shaped flowers emit enchanting intoxicating fragrance that lasts only about an hour. We jokingly call this floral scent "Beauty of the Night." There's also a legend about datura. Apparently, a local Panamanian indigenous tribe would place these flowers under their pillows while sleeping to protect themselves from harm, believing datura has special energy to protect families. Besides datura, nightshade, henbane, and mandrake also belong to the "witch herbs" family. Since these plants are considered to have mystical powers, they're often used by wizards to prepare magical potions. Datura is an essential ingredient in wizards' love potions - those who drink love potions can win their beloved's heart, but datura is also often prepared by wizards as a poison that causes madness or death.

Once, while conducting a small vaporized flavor evaluation of a coffee in our sensory lab, we suddenly smelled a mix of honeysuckle, orange, milk chocolate, and floral notes in this coffee. This scent immediately transported us back to that evening walking on the datura-lined path. Its soft and feminine taste qualities left us immersed in deep contemplation of datura flowers and Shakespeare's tragedy - "Romeo and Juliet." Therefore, we named this coffee "Juliette."

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Variety: Geisha

Level: 39

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Honey processing

Flavor: On top of Geisha's inherent flavors, it has rich floral aroma. Tasting reveals orange peel, caramel, dried cashew notes.

Lotus Solkiln | Level 95

Origin of Name: The flavor development of Lotus Solkiln emulates the lotus flower that rises from mud unstained - a perennial aquatic plant sometimes mistaken for water lily. Although Ninety Plus Solkiln-processed Geisha involves direct drying of fresh cherries similar to traditional natural processing, the coffee beans look not much different from washed processing. The Solkiln method creates a finely controlled temperature and humidity microenvironment, eliminating the impact of Panama's common humid environment on coffee. Similarly, lotus flowers can adapt to environments with humans or other warm-blooded animals by regulating their petal temperature. Lotus SK breaks from the tradition of emulating Ethiopian washed or natural processing experience, and also breaks people's long-standing impression of Geisha's basic flavors. In naming "Lotus SK," we were also influenced by the song "Lotus Flower" by British Oxford band Radiohead. This song mainly expresses people's pursuit of inner peace, freedom, low-key living, and love for music and sensory enjoyment, just like this coffee - we hope those who drink it can also experience such a state of mind. The song's music video presents pure and varied expressions of music - watch it if you have the chance.

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Variety: Geisha

Level: 95

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Ninety Plus patented Solkiln honey processing - special equipment controls temperature and humidity in a room to extend drying time, enhancing flavors while maintaining washed-like cleanliness.

Flavor: Mixed aroma of fig and honey, with rich layered flavors of melon, kiwi, and light tropical fruits upon entry.

Perci | Level 39

Origin of Name: The name "Perci" derives from "perspective," which itself means viewpoint or angle. Naming it "Perci" refers to how during our sensory experiments with this coffee, while conducting routine overall sensory evaluation, we suddenly felt a unique, stunning stimulation that gave us a different perspective on coffee than before. Using the meaning of "perspective," we named it "Perci" to remind us this is a coffee that made us see it in a new light.

When we first blind-tested this coffee, we were certain they were Ethiopian natural-processed coffees (in a sense, they are). And our first thought was that this definitely wasn't Geisha variety coffee. Geisha's basic flavors include citrus, orange, and jasmine. But for "Perci," Geisha's basic flavors are just a small component of its flavor profile. Besides that, it has mango, pineapple, carob, banana, plum, red grape, honey, peach, red coral, and many other flavors.

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Season: 2013~2014

Variety: Geisha

Level: 39

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Natural

Flavor: Intense cherry, carob, vanilla, tropical fruits, and mixed juice flavors.

Perci Red | Level 95

Origin of Name: Red processing's effect on Perci is like watching a beautiful sunset through red glass windows. Perci's tropical fruit characteristics become clearer and sweeter. All flavors are coated with a honey-brandy feeling. Pineapple, mango, and peach become fresh jam. It still has the sweet-sour of fresh fruit and the refreshment of juice, but becomes richer and sweeter. And many more flavors.

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Variety: Geisha

Level: 95

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Ninety Plus's patented "Red Processing" - approaches but surpasses natural processing

Flavor: Red processing further enhances vanilla, tropical fruits, and mixed juice flavors. Mango and pineapple flavors gain a hint of sweet wine. Banana, red grape, honey, and peach flavors remain unchanged.

Perci Ruby | Level 195

Origin of Name: Perci Red processing is already amazing. Ruby processing's effect on Perci is even more distinctive. Perci's tropical fruit characteristics become clearer, extremely sweet. All flavors are coated with a honey-brandy feeling. Pineapple, mango, and peach become fresh jam. It still has the sweet-sour of fresh fruit and the refreshment of juice, but becomes richer and sweeter.

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Season: 2013~2014

Variety: Geisha

Level: 195

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Ninety Plus's patented "Ruby Processing"

Flavor: After ruby processing, has intense brandy and honey tropical fruit flavors. Mango and pineapple tropical fruit flavors become bold and wild. Banana, red grape, honey, and peach gain a hint of wine flavor.

Sillvia Solkiln | Level 95

Origin of Name: Sillvia coffee is the result of our first use of Solkiln method in 2012 to process coffee from plot 11 in the Geisha estate. All coffee from this plot was processed simultaneously, but only 25kg of coffee with special flavors was successfully obtained. In 2013, we learned that Geisha cherries harvested late in the season absorbed more fruit flavors during Solkiln processing. This was because we extended the processing time, resulting in stronger fruit flavors in the coffee. The "sill" part of "Sillvia" references our farm's location - Silla Del Pando (the Silla Del Pando volcanic complex in Panama's volcanic region), while "via" means channel or method.

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Variety: Geisha

Level: 95

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Ninety Plus patented Solkiln natural processing - special equipment controls temperature and humidity in a room to extend drying time, enhancing flavors while maintaining washed-like cleanliness.

Flavor: Distinct juice texture upon entry, rich with intense tropical fruit flavors, also pineapple pastry notes, with long-lasting aftertaste.

Lycello | Level 21

Origin of Name: In 2013, Taiwan's World Barista Championship champion Chien Chia-cheng visited Ninety Plus's Geisha estate. After tasting Geisha coffee cherries, he was reminded of lychees grown in his backyard! So Ninety Plus used the first two letters "LY" from the English word "Lychee" as the first part of this coffee's name. While listening to a performance by genius cellist Yo-Yo Ma, we were impressed by his superb skills, so we used "cell" from the English word "cello" as the second part of this coffee's name, and took the "o" from Yo-Yo Ma's name as the third part. This is how Lycello got its name!

Origin: Ninety Plus Panama Geisha Estate

Variety: Heirloom

Level: 21

Altitude: 1250m-1650m

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor: On top of Geisha's inherent flavors, it displays rich green tea/musk and herbal basil aromas. Tasting reveals soft lemon flavors, lychee-like sweet-sour texture, and also cashew-like nutty notes.

About LevelUp

LevelUp is the secondary brand of premium green bean processing company Ninety Plus, an Ethiopian green bean series launched jointly with green bean trader Bodhi Leaf. The beans are named not by region but by flavor characteristics. The bean names are in local Ethiopian languages, describing each bean's distinct flavor characteristics. They retain 90+'s amazing flavors but at more accessible prices.

LevelUp Series Coffees

Drima Zede (Candle Light)

Origin of Name: Drima Zede (Candle Light, the name of this Yirgacheffe) means "Best Approach" in the local dialect. According to information provided by the original manufacturer, this Yirgacheffe is a specialized product series developed based on 90+ years of experience. Ancient natural processing methods make it difficult to obtain pure flavors, but Drima Zede, with 90+ technical support, only hand-picks the most mature coffee cherries, and the natural drying process involves meticulous constant stirring to ensure uniformity. The final result is very transparent and clean texture, with significant changes from hot to cold. The fruit, floral, and oak barrel aromas are very charming.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's SNNP, Sidama region

Altitude: 1750m-2000m

Processing Method: Natural

Flavor: Nectarine, tropical fruits, cream, cinnamon

Danch Meng

Origin of Name: Danch Meng is actually the secondary brand Level Up of NINETY PLUS company, an Ethiopian green bean launched jointly with green bean trader Bodhi Leaf in 2013. Danch Meng is locally translated as "Perfect approach" (佳途), grown by small farmers in Yirgacheffe's Goldina Abayadumensuo area. Launched with NINETY PLUS company's professional flavor processing background, Danch Meng has very unique Yirgacheffe flavors thanks to 90+ natural processing technology.

Origin: Ninety Plus Ethiopia's SNNP, Kambata region

Altitude: 1700m - 2000m

Processing Method: Natural

Flavor: Cocoa, black raspberry, plum, juicy, floral aroma, blueberry, dark chocolate

DerarEla | Dreamer

Flavor: More intense aromatic quality, rich tropical fruits and lime aroma, unique chamomile fragrance

LomiTasha

Flavor: Soft lemon, honey, wild ginger floral notes, refined green tea texture

Faya Deraro

Flavor: Blueberry, strawberry cookies, cherry, white wine, raspberry

Nitsu Ruz | Rosemary Freshness

Flavor: Floral, lemon peel, lychee, prune, kumquat, black tea

90+ Coffee Bean Brand Recommendation

The 90+ coffee bean Drima Zede roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offers full guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, it offers extremely high cost performance - a half-pound (227g) package costs only about 90 yuan. Calculating at 15g powder per cup, one package can make 15 cups of coffee, with each cup costing only about 6 yuan. Compared to café prices that often exceed 100 yuan per cup, this is truly a conscientious recommendation.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473