Finca Guachipilin

Beans: Finca Guachipilin
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: La Palma,
           Chalatenango, El Salvador
Grade: SHG
Screen: in Large Size
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,300m
Variety: Pcamara
Process: Honey
※COE 2017 Awarded

【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 5
Sweetness: 5
Acidity: 3
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5

【Comment】
High in aroma, complex, impressively sweet, caramel, a touch of mixed spices and herbs, cinnamon, cardamon, basil, orange peels, roasted hazelnuts, a touch of almondt flower, full bodied, creamy mouth-feel but light in touch, smooth, sweet, mellow, matured, clean, soothing, caramel cream, raw almond honey, peach syrup, a outch of fresh orange juice, extreamly well balanced sweetness, bitterness and acidity, roasted almonds, mellow nutty sweetness and clean sheer bitterness as a long lasting aftertaste.

【Note】
Finca Guachipilin, family own farm, established in 2009 by RENATO DIAZ DIAZ, is located in municipal La Palma, in a mountainous area of El Salvador.  The farm has been in full operation since 2011 and, in 2013, obtained a de-pulping machine.  Coffee production in Finca Guachipilin relies on man power: the farm has not yet opened to electric power supplies so that coffee cherries are processed manually from pulping to drying.  The municipal La Palma are blessed with cool climate and volcanic soil, which allow coffee cultivation to become popular. 

Finca El Pacamaral

Beans: Finca El Pacamaral
Roaster: Home roast
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: Cantón Taltapanca, Apaneca, El Salvador
Grade: SHG
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,200m～1,500m
Variety: Pacamara
Process: Washed

【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 3
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 3
※Grade 1 to 5

【Impression】
Dark, mellow, high tone sweet aroma, Vanilla beans, caramel, freshly baked cookies, a touch of cinnamon, lightly nutty, roasted hazel nuts, almonds, maple syrup, vanilla nougat, sheer walnuts ash, light body, clear, clean, refreshing, soothing texture, well balanced sweetness and bitterness, smooth, velvety, milk chocolate, light acidity of cocoa powder, clear sweetness of fresh apricot, peach, dried pear, light acidity, orange zest, demerara sugar water, clear and watery sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
Excellent bean size, amazing flavor, acidity and aroma.

【Note】
Winner of 2005 El Salvador program.  Finca El Pacamaral is located western El Salvador, 20km west of Mt. Santa Anna.  The farm is established in 1984, however the owner, Eduardo Francisco de Jesús Castro Magaña, comes from the family which carries over 100yrs of coffee tradition.  Blessed with volcanic soil and high altitude, his farm established well know status in Pacamara production after long hash trail.

Finca El Molino ~ Orange burbon

Name:　Finca El Molino
Roaster: Doi Coffee
Roasting degree: Full City
Area: Sonsonate, El Salvador
Variety:  Orange Burbon
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Altitude: 1,470 - 1,750m
Defect: N/A
Processing Method: Fully washed, Sun dried

【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 3
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 2      
※Grade 1 to 5

【Impression】

Medium dark, Tahitian vanilla, cacao nib, raspberry, black berry, maple syrup, silky, smooth, Dutch cocoa, candied almonds, sea salt caramel, banana, mellow, citric acidity as Persian Limes, tangor, white grape, litchee, fruity sweetness as custard apple, mellow sweetness as matured banana, dark chocolate like bitterness, Ghirardelli's "Intense Dark Midnight", coconuts sugar like sweetness with juicy mouth feel as a long lasting aftertaste.

【Note】
Finca El Molino grown, the Las Cruces wet mill processed.  Finca El Molino is located on the slope of Santa Ana volcano, blessed with volcanic ash soil, leaf soil, and trees for shade grown.  At the Las Cruces wet mill, cherries are washed with spring water and dried on brick patio.

Finca Siberia

Beans: Finca Siberia
Raoster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting Degree: Medium
Area: Chalchuapa, Santa Ana Department, El Salvador
Altitude: 1,450m
Varieties: Burbon
Processing: Fully Washed
Screen: 16 up
Grade: SHG､EP

【Impression】
Clean, medium, flavorful nutty & apricot aroma, fruity, well-balanced bitterness, sweetness, bottomed with a tip of rich sourness, impressive chocolaty flavor, rich, clear but aromatic flavor as a long lasting aftertaste.
Due to roasting, sweetness is enhanced by bitterness and apricots sourness clearly merged into chocolaty flavor.  

Finca Santa Sofia

Beans: Finca Santa Sofia
Roaster: Akai-mi Coffee
Area: Santa Ana, Apaneca, El Salvador

Altitude: 1,488m
Screen: N/A
Grade: SHG
Processing methods: Semi-wash
Varietal: Burbon, etc

【Impression】
Light to medium, light texture, citric aroma, fresh fruits, grapefruits, orange, lemon and lime as top note, citric soft and mellow acidity, clean bitterness, dutch cocoa, white grape, a short lasting clear aftertaste with mellow fruity sweetness.  

High Mountain

Beans: High Mountain 
Roaster: Swing's Coffee
Roasting Degree: City
Blends(?): Guatemala, El Salvador, Sumatra

【Impression】
Light mellow body, jasmine like flowery aroma with orange, sweetness of raw almonds & macadamia nuts, non refined beet sugar, sheer bitterness of dark chocolate, layer of sweetness adding depth in body, juicy maple syrup like sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste ending with a tip of lemony refreshing acidity.   

【Note】
"Stop by at Swing's", recommended a friend of mine.
Located in Washington D.C., Swing's coffee has been Washingtonians local coffee house.
Unfortunately, "the very first visit" of swing's has stayed out of reach; but here is a bag of their beans available at Wholefoods in Baltimore.  Knowing this does not represent "Swing's coffee" enough, I grabbed a bag.  According to Swing's web, "High Mountain is the coffee that Washingtonians stand in line for at Swing's on G Street."  I am looking forward having "the day" to stop by 1702 G Street N.W to taste how this changes.

El Salvador Hot Springs

Name: El Salvador, Hot Springs
Roaster:  Beans Tei
Roasting degree: Medium
Area: San Ramoncito,Ahuachapán, El Salvador, 
         Finca El Madriado
Variety: Bourbon
Grade: SHG, EP
Screen: 16up
Altitude: 1250～1350m
Processing Method: Fully Washed, Sun-dried
RA, JAS, BCS certified


【Flavor scale】
Mildness: 3
Bitterness: 2
Richness: 3
Aroma: 4
Acidity: 2
Sweetness: 3    ※Grade 1 to 5

 【Impression 】
Medium Body, creamy and clean flavor, soft texture, well balanced , Mandarin Orange like flowery aroma mixed with sweet aroma as ripe banana, dried raison sweetness as carmel covered with milk chocolate bottomed with moderate richness and bitterness from roasting, shade tone of acidity slightly detected on top, short lasting aftertaste with creamy natural sweetness.

【Note】

While ago, there are only few farms provides speciality beans with "Hot spring processing method" in El Salvador, but it seems to become one of popular processing methods.  Hot spring.  Many of farms are surrounded by hot springs in this volcanic small country and now some of them realized that "hot spring water" may add extra vale to their cultivation.  Now one of popular "Hot spring" processing variety is Paca-mara, a hybrid seed varietal of the Pacas and Maragogype.  I believe this was the Original HOT Spring beans.  Since Hot Spring process adds special values in the market, appreciated especially in Japanese Market, each farm are trying to rise the market value with certifications or recognized methods, such as shade grown, organic and so on.

Coffee processed with Hot Spring/Sun-dried gives clear and sweet flavor, although El Salvadorian coffee often characterized its clear, transparent flavor.  It's maybe because fully matured cherries, red-cherries, are often used initially, but hot spring may help to add extra sweetness through fermentation.

Finca El Madriado is now called as Finca Altamira, lies on Santa Teresa area, won 25th place in 2003, 19th 2007, in COE.  This farm is one of excellent SPECIALTY beans producer in competitive El Salvadorian coffee market.

Finca Amitabha

Name: Finca Amitabha

Roaster:  Beans Tei

Roasting degree: Medium

Area: La Libertad, El Salvador

Production: M icro Farmer

Variety: Bourbon

Grade: N/A (No information provided)

Screen: N/A (No information provided)

Altitude: 1 000～1100ｍ

Crop: Jan. ～ Mar.

Processing: Sun-Dried

【Impression】

Light to medium body, soft citrus aroma, silky smoothness with clearness as spring water,  light and moderate flavor, pearly round sweetness with blight distinguished  honey like richness bottomed with light and mild bitterness, clear bitterness as a short aftertaste.  Wonderful for morning coffee w/o cream and sugar.  Non coffee lover may love this.

Food pairing: something light texture and simple flavor such as Vanila Mousse.

Finca Miralvalle

Beans: El Salvador Miralvalle

Roaster: Doi Coffee

Roasting grade: Full city

Estate: Finca Miralvalle

Region: Ahuachapan, El Salvador

Varieties: Pacamara

Altitude: 1600-1800m

Processing: Washed & Sun-dried

【Impression】
 Light and delicate body, mild texture with soothing aftertaste.  Citrus light acidity, orange like fruity aroma and sweetness mixed with nutty almond like flavor.  Meyer lemon zest in farm stand apple juice with a butterscotch finish.  Very sensitive, but full layered flavor.

【About Finca Miralvalle】  Miralvalle Estate is originally found by Juan Urritia, who introduced Salvadoran Bourbon varietal in 1970’s, and now run by his 5th generation.  The estate owns 80ha of the primeval forest, whose wellspring supplies water to 6000 residence around the estate.  Since 2002, Miralvalle Estate starts to grow and develop Pacamara varietal and their efforts were recognized in 2007 as COE winning farm.  Their 100% shade grown coffee beans traded only with exporters, so that high level of traceability is guaranteed.  
This Estate is not only producing high quality coffee beans, but also making high contributions to the societies/environments.  Due to shade grown methods, the estate produces about 36000Lbs oxygen daily.  There are full diversity of wildlife: wild varieties of mammals, birds, insects.  Also, in total of 600 employees are fully supported by the Estate from work to their private life: The estate supplies housing, educations, medications and so on.

El Salvador Andalucia Estate

Beans: El Salvador Andalucia Estate
Raster: Akai-mi Coffee
Roasting Degree:
Estate: Andalucia Estate
Area: Ataco Auachapan, El Salvador
Grade:SHG
Screen: N/A
Altitude: 1200m

Varieties: Bourbon65％、Pacas 25%, Pacamara 15%

Processing: Fully-washed

【Impression】

Medium body, transparent clearness with depth, light texture, orange flower mixed with citrus aroma, moderate and well balanced flavor, decent acidity.  Citrus flavor with mild chocolaty bitterness like dark chocolate  and flavor in depth, sharp apricot sweetness mixed with ripe white grape, fruity thin layer of sweetness lightly covers well polished bitterness, sweet bitterness as a long lasting aftertaste.   


Thanks for Akaimi coffee, bland new aspect of El Salvadorian coffee has been opened by combination of this beans and roasting technique.

EL SALVADOR

Name:  El Salvador
Roaster: Koruri Coffee
Roast degree: Medium
Area: San Ramon, Ahuachapan, El Salvador
Production: El Madriado Estate
Variety:  Bourbon
Grade: SHG, EP
Screen: 16up
Defect: 6 /300 ｇ
Altitude: 1250m～1350m
Processing: Washed, Sun-Dry
RA, JAS Organic certified

【Comment of roaster】
This 100% Bourbon, traditional varietal, offers high quality, sweet aroma mixed with mild sweetness and acidity, which has won the first position in COE of El Salvador in 2003.
 

【Impression】

Light to Medium body, bright acidity with airy texture.  Floral and fruity aroma like orange flower, with well-balanced acidity and bitterness.  Mixture of high tone acidity, rose hip with lime, and earthy bitterness, 100% cacao dark chocolate, with sheer sweetness underneath, total flavor balance like green-raisins .  After taste: clear lemony acidity with long-lasting bitterness.

This beans is selected by ITZALCO, El Salvador specialty coffee association. speciality.  This package had their tag on top, but this picture does not show the tag...  Sorry....

Finca Miralvalle

Beans: Finca Miralvalle
Roaster: Doi Coffee
Roasting degree: Full city
Area: Ahuachapán, El salvador 
Varieties: Paca-mara
Altitude: 1,500～1,650m
Processing method: Fully washed
Shade Grown, COE winning farm in 2007


【Impression】
Floral-fruity sweet aroma, silky, smooth, complex bursting flavor with fresh citrus, orange,like sweet acidity, sweetness of brown sugar, deep-woody-chocolatey body, note of fig on the finish

Cerro Del cielo farm

Beans: Cerro del Cielo
Area of production: Mozonte, Nicaragua
Estate：Cerro del Cielo

【Impression】
Flowery aroma, cocoa like silky texture.  Apricot and Fresh plum like delicate but fruity flavor, a long lasting aftertaste of bitterness and sweetness.

【Note】
Cerro del Cielo is located in Mozonte, where the most excellent coffee beans are grown among Municipalities s in Nueva Segovia Department , where various number of COE winning estate are located.