Artisan Roast - Bonanza El Salvador

The Apaneca Ilamatepec Mountains in the very north of El Salvador produce truly exceptional coffee, and Finca Bonanza is a small family owned farm nestled in the region, producing coffee that typifies this quality. Situated in the foothills of the massive Santa Ana Mountain that dominates the skyline for many miles around this small, beautiful, ten hectare farm is owned and run by Joe Molina.

Joe is an award winning farmer and his family's other farm, Bosque Lya, won the El Salvador Cup of Excellence way back in 2004. After this win he stopped entering the competition but continued to apply all the farming and processing skills that won the award into his coffee production. The farm grows both the red and yellow fruiting bourbon coffee variety and for this special lot for Artisan Roast Joe selected a small parcel towards to top end of the farm growing yellow bourbon and processed it separately.

In the cup this micro lot displays a complex cup. We find salted caramel leads the front of the tasting and this leads on to a sweet red berry note with honeycomb and a little milk chocolate in the mid range. The body is viscous , mouth expanding and rounded and the acidity is classic El Salvador Bourbon … medium, complex and lingering with a blood orange like finish. These characteristics make it a very versatile coffee to brew and whether through filter, french press or espresso there are a range of characteristics to be found. Espresso will bring out the salted caramel and orange like finish, while a filter brings out more of the delicate red berry and cocoa notes.