Received 05/15/2012
Grower Certified Organic, Finca San Carlos
Roast Profile: Medium, Balanced Juniper Tea-Like Body. Mid-range Roast Color. Sweetness: Perfect Washed-Mild.
High altitude crops means slower plant development. And believe me, when plants ripen more slowly, they develop astounding flavor complexity. They also tend to develop rich aromas that make Central American coffees so unique, so sought-after, and so wonderfully extravagant. This Fair-Trade, Certified-Organic little bean from Finca San Carlos is, in no way whatsoever, an exception.
These "cloud coffees" are produced in the unimaginably steep mountainside rainforests of Chiapas, Mexico's southern-most region. The people here have long suffered from poor infrastructure, unemployment, and high illiteracy rates. The ethnically diverse coffee farmers that comprise Finca San Carlos have been working successfully to combat these issues by seeking stable, fair prices for their coffee in the US marketplace. They've championed organic agriculture in the area, using traditional Mayan wisdom as a foundation for their farming methods.
Unlike other coffees produced in southern Mexico and northern Guatemala, this organic varietal is exceptional. These beans are brighter, sweeter, and tend toward the snap and acidity of the Guatemalan Huehuetenango. A fresh hot cup of this strange brew has a stunning medium-body, distinctly sweet & sharp caramel flavors, and a touch of almond & bittersweet chocolate. We absolutely love it!