Our videocast: In My Mug
Episodes
Sunday Aug 16, 2015
Sunday Aug 16, 2015
A staple; a huge, special coffee we love very much and we are pleased to see it back for its 9th season. A massive coffee.
I already loved this coffee before I got to try it at El Bosque. I mean that I was truly blown away with how good it tasted. However, my first visit to the farm in January 2007 made me love it some more because I got to meet the fantastic people behind the coffee.
Don Roberto and his two brothers have tried to move away from generic commercial coffee by raising their growing and milling standards, and you can really tell in the cup. During another visit in 2009, I got talking to Francisco about the Bourbon and asked if it would it be possible to split the red and yellow beans to compare the results. Of course, I could only really ask them to do this for me if we bought all of the coffee, and we were delighted to do so. Nowhere else in the world will you be able to try this famous coffee using just the specific Red Bourbon varietal.
Julian Flores founded Finca El Bosque in 1932. The 14-hectare extension of land was planted out with Bourbon varietal coffee and grew over the next few years with the purchase of additional land. Julian Flores died in 1947 and his only son, José Eladio Flores, continued in his father’s footsteps. In 1970, Jose bought another 23 hectares and planted the same Bourbon coffee varietal. Since his death in 1996, a third generation has taken charge under the direction of José’s widow, Martha Stalla, and their sons Julio, José, Francisco, and Mario.
The first two generations cultivated and sold coffee in cherry form only. Now the third generation has taken care to innovate and build a plant for processing the cherries in line with strict environmental guidelines. They have also diversified into growing other plants for local consumption such as avocado, roses, and lemons, as well as a new grass innovation.
El Bosque farm is located on a hillside running parallel and a way off from the main road near the capital, Guatemala City. It may be jeopardized by urban development in future, but in the time we have been working with El Bosque prices and returns for the farm have made it a much higher concern for the brothers and they are very motivated.
This coffee is a world exclusive; we buy every single Bourbon bean from this farm. The rest of the coffee we also bought this year and after the success of last year sent most of it for decaffeination. We are the only people you can get this current crop of coffee from.
In the cup expect smooth milk chocolate with a white grape acidity that's sweet and very pleasing, with hints of cherry and a spicy blast of black pepper in the aftertaste. Delicious espresso, delightful brewed coffee, and a real all rounder.
- Country: Guatemala
- Region: Aldea Loma Larga Mountains, Amatitlán
- City: Municipality of Villa Canales
- Farm: El Bosque
- Farmer: Flores Family
- Farm Size: 37 Hectares
- Coffee growing area: 14 Hectares
- Altitude: 1,400-1,645 m.a.s.l.
- Variety: Red Bourbon
- Processing System: Washed