El Salvador Cerro El Tigre Bourbon
In the shadow of Cerro el Tigre, an inactive volcano, you'll find Maria Cristina Llach's farm. For this microlot, she chose a blend of orange and red bourbon and the result is a luxurious brew - dessert in a cup. It's super rich with a velvety body and big notes of dark chocolate, cashew butter, caramel and cherry.
Volcanic soil and high-quality coffee go together like peanut butter and chocolate. So it’s no surprise to find that many of the farms producing amazing coffee are in the shadows of volcanoes. And that’s right where you’ll find Maria Cristina Llach’s farm – on the slopes of Cerro el Tigre (Tiger Mountain), an inactive stratovolcano. An eon ago, that farm wouldn’t be able to exist due to the violent nature of a stratovolcano eruption, but tens of thousands of years later we get to enjoy the fruits of some of the best soil in the world. I suppose everything has a silver lining, even if you have to measure it on geological time scales!
And Maria Cristina is making the most of that silver lining by producing several varieties of incredible coffee. For this microlot, she chose a blend of orange and red Bourbon. While I typically expect bourbon to exhibit bright acidity, I was surprised to find this coffee on the muted side. But what was traded for in acidity was super rich body and velvety texture. For a washed coffee, it’s surprisingly sweet with big notes of dark chocolate, cashew butter, caramel and a gentle undertone of black cherry. It’s a dessert in a cup folks, a downright chocolate bomb! If you like your brownies a little nutty or you’re a fan of peanut butter cups, you’re going to love this coffee.
Reminder! This coffee is raw, you must roast it before brewing
Arrival Date: November 15th, 2024, Harvest Season: 2024
Acidity & Brightness: Moderately bright and sweet
Balance & Finish: Fairly balanced with a warm, lingering finish
Body & Texture: Rich body with a velvety texture
Flavors: Dark chocolate, cashew butter, caramel & cherry
Grade: SHG, Grown at 1300 - 1650 masl
Processing: Fully Washed & patio dried
Grower: Maria Cristina Llach | Beneficio El Tigre
Region: Santiago de Maria, El Salvador
Varieties: Orange & Red Bourbon
Recommended Roast Range: City+ to Full City+ (Light-Medium to Medium-Dark)
Most folks will likely prefer this coffee right at Full Medium roast or after the 1st crack has ended but before the 2nd crack begins. That’s where we found the best combination of sweetness, body and brightness. Lighter roasts will exhibit more a bit more fruit and acidity while darker roasts will really lean into the dark chocolate and toffee character in the coffee.
