A friend in Seattle sent me my first pound of good coffee back in the mid 80's. Amazing just how it good it is, isn't it?
Starbucks gets its fair share of abuse from aficionados. Perhaps deservedly so. But it's a personal thing.
I had my first cup of Peets Major Dickason back in 89 while on a trip to Berkeley. Peets is now my favorite.
Our local Safeway will put it on sale, once a month or so. And I just stock up.
I've tried just about all of the other brands, the less expensive ones and frankly, to me, they just don't compare. I bought some Marley's the other day and I thought that was very good.
I've come to two conclusions: (a) the coffee I prefer is expensive and (b) I'm worth it. :)