El Salvador - Orlando Aguilar - Honey

Amazing new and limited microlot from Finca Buena Vista.
Notes of brown sugar, peach, pineapple.
 
 
ABOUT THE ORIGIN:
Orlando Aguilar comes from a coffee producing family, which has developed traditions in El Salvador. As a producer himself, he has focused on specialty coffee by working with strong varieties in an ideal climate with good, fertile soil. The harvest at Buena Vista farm is done selectively and by hand. After harvest, the coffee is fermented in sacks for 9–12 hours before being de-pulped, washed, and dried on raised beds for 10–13 days.
Chalatenango, the "valley of water and sand", is El Salvador's coolest and northern-most region. Historically, the country's top coffees have come from western El Salvador. In 2007, though, a Chalatenango pacamara won the Cup of Excellence bringing the region and variety center stage. We purchased that winning coffee, and promptly went to Chalatenango to cup coffees from more producers. Since that time, we've placed a green buyer associate in the region to expand relationships and provide support. From year to year, we've become used to cupping microlots of pacamara, pacas, SL-28, and Gesha, all grown by small producers who apply rigorous harvest and a range of processing techniques. Chalatenango is both special to us, and important to specialty coffee as a whole.
 
ABOUT THE PROCESS:
Honey coffees are on the rise in El Salvador, and typically the coffees are picked ripe and de-pulped the day they're harvested, then spread on patios or raised beds to dry in their mucilage for 20–25 days. It is important to note this coffee was intentionally processed utilizing anaerobic fermentation. In general, placing freshly-harvested cherries inside a sealed container or bag of some sort for a period of time will create a flavor impact. We find those anaerobically-fermented coffees often exhibit an increase in the intensity of fruit and acidity and a slight increase in the body. Nonetheless, the anaerobic fermentation process has a distinct impact on the outcome of the flavor profile