Background: Sumatra is possibly the most widely recognized coffee origin in Asia. It is an island, along with coffee origins Sulawesi and Java, located in Indonesia. Some Sumatran beans are regarded as the most heavily-bodied in the world--particularly those in the growing region of Mandheling. Other popular market names of growing regions in Sumatra include Lintong, Aceh, Ankola, Blue Batak, Gayo Mountain, and the famed Kopi Luak (not a region but a name given to the highly demanded and highly priced digested coffee of the Sumatran civet, or luak). Starbucks' Sumatra is what I will refer to as a single-origin blend. Its beans are located within the politically drawn lines of Sumatra but may come from a variety of regions (probably not Kopi Luak). The Sumatra of Starbucks is designated by the company as an 'Extra Bold' (probably in reference to the heaviness of the body) and is popular among customers who seek a 'strong' coffee, or something hearty and robust.
Tasting: Aroma*****; a deep and dull herbal scent like that of raw mint. Acidity**; very slight on the sides of the tongue but nearly neutralized by the heaviness of the body. Body*****; extremely heavy body, layering on the front to back of the tongue and lingering powerfully. Flavor****; while the earthiness and dark soil notes are intense, other mild flavors surround those notes such as peppery spice and grassy herbs. It's like drinking a garden.
I recommend Starbucks' Sumatra to customers who like their coffee black and thickly textured--the kind of customers who make fun of people who get blended coffee drinks and lattes. Starbucks' Sumatra is a very gruff, masculine coffee in personality--the unofficial coffee of lumberjacks, mechanics, and the like.
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You can either love or hate this bean. Just not possible to remain mildly biased. Looking at the positive ratings, I feel that Starbucks is cooking a story. I would expect a reasonable proportion of consumers to hate this bean which is being ignored in ratings. Initiating a new customer to the fact that there are equal chances that he might love or hate this coffee is what I would expect Starbucks and others to do. It has a heavy body and no acidity. So its heavily biased and that is where the strong opinion comes in.
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