Kimbo espresso beans Napoletano 250g

I had read some good things about Kimbo on various espresso forums online, so wanted to give this a try. I am using a Niche Zero grinder paired with a high end dual boiler machine. First impressions are that these beans are exuding of roasty, smoky flavor. There is not much of that classic chocolatey Italian espresso flavor. Just way too bitter. I have been pulling ristrettos given the roast level and have tried varying shot temperature, but it just feels like a cheap commercial grade coffee. I bought this purely for exploration, but don't think I can recommend it to others. One can find better things for the same amount of money. For instance, Illy is better, Malabar Gold is quite awesome, etc. Also, I bought this at the end of September 2022 and the beans were roasted on March 2, 2022. Was not expecting fresh beans through Amazon anyway, but including it here as some useful information.

I gave the coffee as a gift and did not actually consume it. The shipper added a nice touch with a short thank you note attached to the bag of coffee. Paul sends

Too strong coffee