Sister comment I made about roast date. Super important for most snobs, along with dark/light roast etc. etc. there are lots of variations. But the roast date is interesting to me as it affects the "supply chain" aspect of this. You will have to fly/truck (but not sail) the coffee if you are not near where it was roasted.
This applies only to beans. For ground or instant ... doesn't matter. Damage has been done :-)....
To elaborate - it really depends on the type of coffee. Some people really like the cheaper robusta - some people like a 2nd wave arabica blend - some people want that very expensive 3rd wave coffee where you know the story of the farmer and his family. You choose what type and quality of coffee you want to have made and we will find someone in our manufacturer network to make it for you.
This applies only to beans. For ground or instant ... doesn't matter. Damage has been done :-)....