August 2011 Tasting Box

Olympia , Washington

Honey in your coffee? Not quite. The name refers to a rare process that the farmers of La Mirella use to wash this unique lot, providing a sweeter, richer cup. And that’s just one of the reasons why this Costa Rica import is so special: Each of the organic Bourbon and Caturra beans are measured for proper sugar levels before being selected. The beans are roasted by Olympia Roasting Company, who works directly with the farm to source this exceptional micro-lot. With floral notes of orange zest and melon rounded by a rich, velvet finish, this “honey” will make your mornings a little sweeter.

• Producer

  Finca La Mirella, farmed by Oscar Chacon and Francisca Cubillo Salas

• Origin

  Valle Central, Costa Rica

• Varietal

  Caturra, Bourbon

• Elevation

  1,500 meters above sea level

• Process

  Honey-processed

• Our Notes

  Floral, orange-zest top notes lead into flavors of cantaloupe and semi-dark chocolate over a heavy, soft body.

Topeka, Kansas

It hasn’t been easy for the farmers of the Kanyovu Coop. For years, they struggled without proper resources, unable to find decent prices for their beans. But since 2007, a partnership with coffee importer Sustainable Harvest has offered education and upgraded technology to the farmers, resulting in better beans and proper wages. This batch, a Bourbon variety grown at 1,500 meters in Tanzania’s Gombe region and roasted by PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. in Topeka, offers notes of tropical fruit, which subside to reveal an earthy tobacco-like sweetness. It’s a feel-good brew that tastes great too.

• Producer

  Kanyovu Coop

• Origin

  Gombe Region, Tanzania

• Varietal

  Bourbon, Kent

• Elevation

  1,500 meters above sea level

• Process

  Wet processed

• Our Notes

  Juicy and complex with pineapple and raisin flavors layered over an earthy, tobacco-like sweetness.

Hillburn, New York

When it comes to coffee, having one’s head in the clouds can be a good thing, as evidenced by this beguiling brew from Finca Un Regalo de Díos in Nicaragua. The beans grow at the highest elevation point (1,500 meters) on the farm’s property, right at the beginning of a natural cloud forest. This hyper-specific climate and a stellar roasting job by New York’s Plowshares Coffee Roasters offers a cup of crisp fruit flavors: The coffee’s notes of green apple and lemon are snappy and fresh—which is exactly how we like to start our day.

• Producer

  Finca Un Regalo de Díos, Plantio el Aserradero

• Origin

  Dipilito, Nicaragua

• Varietal

  Caturra, Red Catuai

• Elevation

  1,500 meters above sea level

• Process

  Fully washed

• Our Notes

  Green apple and lemon zest flavors compliment a round caramel sweetness and clean tea-like mouthfeel.