Black Dog

The legend of Black Dog is a staple of Richmond, Virginia folklore. It is hard to parse truth from fiction when it comes to accounts of Black Dog, a stray that roamed neighborhoods in the West End of Richmond for years. Some people considered Black Dog a protector - a benevolent watchman - others viewed him as a scourge that needed to be captured and put down. Everyone agrees he was a wild, free-spirit that avoided capture or domestication despite countless attempts by city animal control and a number of residents of the neighborhoods he roamed. Writer, Mark Holmberg, once described Black Dog this way: "Black Dog treats humans as if they were fire, getting close enough for warmth - even occasionally licking the feet of children - but never allowing himself to be touched." We can't help but admire the legendary Black Dog's wild heart and free spirit. It was that admiration that led us to use his namesake for this unique blend of African coffees, highlighting its wild, exotic fruit-forward flavor, and citrusy, floral aroma.