This coffee is a single origin from Los Altiplanos de Datanli farm in Jinotega, Nicaragua. The farm is located in the Cerro Datanli - El Diablo Nature Reserve at high elevation in a tropical cloud forest with rich volcanic soils. It is a washed Java varietal, a cultivar derived from an Ethiopian landrace called Abysinia introduced to Java by the Dutch in the early 19th century. The cup is delicate, elegant, and tea-like with floral notes of honeysuckle and bee pollen, tea impressions reminiscent of oolong and white tea, fruited notes of honeydew and Canary melon, cape gooseberry, and lemon to lemongrass citrus. The coffee performs well across various brew methods with pour-over recommended for the best expression.
Cal Verga founded Duck Rabbit Coffee in 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio, drawing the name from the famous optical illusion used by philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein to illustrate how perception shapes experience. All roasting runs through an early 1980s Probat G 12, and Verga sources his green coffee through Coffee Shrub, focusing on rare, ethically sourced beans from small farms in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia, and Sumatra. The approach leans light, aiming to highlight nuanced flavors and terroir rather than roast character. A grab and go cafe on Lorain Avenue operates Thursday through Sunday alongside the roastery on Lakeside Avenue, and a subscription service keeps regulars stocked with a rotating selection.