Single Origin Feature - El Salvador San Emilio

Posted: 11/03/2010 4:30:02 p.m.

El Salvador is a country that we have not used extensively in the past, when looking in the region of Central America we have generally focused on the stunning coffees from its neighbour, Guatemala. However sharing a similar topography, and geographically being so closely positioned it makes sense that quality El Salvador coffee should also appeal to our palate.

El Salvador's recent civil war from 1980 to 1992 crippled the coffee industry, many farms and coffee mills were damaged or abandoned, while remaining farms provided their coffee to a centralised coffee market. The centralised market pooled together coffees of varying quality creating an end product not suitable to specialty coffee buyers. Since the end of the civil war the El Salvador coffee industry has been able to refocus, we have seen the re-emergence of small scale farms, providing a quality specialty product directly to the market. The Cup of Excellence program has been embraced by El Salvador and over recent years has demonstrated the country's ability to grow fantastic specialty coffee.

Late last year we had the opportunity of purchasing some El Salvador San Emilio, we grabbed that opportunity after an impressive sample tasting.

The San Emilio coffee is 100% 'pulped natural' bourbon. The 'pulped natural' is a processing method which sun dries the coffee immediately after the cherry has been de-pulped, in essence this is a hybrid method of 'wet' and 'dry' (natural) processing. A pulped natural has the ability to feature the clean nature of the wet process combined with the sweet, ripe and full bodied characteristics of dry process.

The San Emilio showcases the best aspects of what a pulped natural coffee can deliver, when we tasted this coffee as espresso we noted:

Medium to full body with a buttery mouthfeel
Effervescent and refreshing acidity, partnered by big sweetness
Toffee and almond are harmoniously balanced with wine and cherry flavours
The aftertaste is clean and delicate

If you would like to buy beans please email us directly on andrew@espressoworkshop.co.nz.