Dear Coffee Subscribers,
Here in Oslo we are enjoying the cold sunny days and soaking in the few hours with daylight we get every day. These past two weeks have been hectic, with the development of the Covid situation here in Oslo we have had 10 out of 14 of our colleagues in quarantine and most of us are now working from home. That being said, it is in situations like this we see how well functioning our team is. Everyone is working together towards the same goal and stepping in where it’s needed. But getting through this period wouldn’t be possible without our fans, followers and supporters that is spread all over the world. Thank you for keeping us busy.
Now let’s talk about this month’s coffees. For the November subscription I have picked out two different coffees from Finca Nacimiento in Santa Barbara, in the north of Honduras. Both are from the same Pacas cultivars but from different harvest years. All our one-bag subscribers will receive the April 2019 harvest while our two-bag subscribers will also receive the February 2020 harvest. For those of you that have subscribed to two bags or more; I’m looking forward to hear about your experience with tasting the same coffee from two different harvests next to each other.
The third coffee I have chosen comes from the Caballero’s farms located in Chinacla, la Paz, also in Honduras. It is a Batian cultivar, which is originally from Kenya but grown in Honduras.
Nacimiento Pacas 2019 1 + bag
Flavour notes: Red currants, stone fruit & chocolate
Producer: Jobneel Caceres Dios
Harvest: April 2019
Origin: El Cielito, Santa Barbara, Honduras
Process: Washed
Cultivar: Pacas
This is a late harvest lot from Nacimiento which means it is harvested from the higher part of Jobneel’s farm. A really sweet and fruity Pacas from one of the best coffee areas in Honduras. Packed with stone fruit and red berry flavours with loads of sweetness. Although this coffee was harvested in April 2019 it is still tasting fresh with no negative signs of age. The flavour is very expressive and open with loads of stone fruit and winey berry flavours. Because Jobneel is drying his coffee slowly in shade and also storing the coffee in cool conditions while being packed in protective bags, the coffee’s shelf life is dramatically increased and that is why we are able to enjoy this coffee over a year after it was harvested.
Nacimiento Pacas 2020 2 + bags
Flavour notes: Chocolate, fresh herbs & apples
Producer: Jobneel Caceres Dios
Harvest: February 2020
Origin: El Cielito, Santa Barbara, Honduras
Process: Washed
Cultivar: Pacas
This is an early 2020 harvest lot from Nacimiento which means it is harvested from the lower part of Jobneel’s farm. Because this coffee is relatively freshly harvested, it is still showing some green fresh character which is typical for fresh coffees. It also has more of a chocolaty profile than the later harvested Pacas from 2019 which is probably due to the coffee growing at a slight lower altitude and has a faster ripening process than the coffees from the highest part of the farm. I love the smooth mouthfeel you get in these fresher coffees, and although the flavours might seem a bit more closed, I think it is a very enjoyable coffee because of the sweet and rich flavour profile.
Caballero Batian 3 + bags
Flavour notes: Chocolate, violets & herbal
Producer: Marysabel Caballero & Moises Herrera
Harvest: February 2020
Origin: Cinacla, la Paz, Honduras
Process: Washed
Cultivar: Batian
This is a Kenyan hybrid cultivar but planted and grown in Honduras by Marysabel and Moises. They only have a tiny amount of these trees and this is their third harvest of this coffee. I really enjoy this coffee because of the interesting floral note it has in the flavour and aroma. The finish is very sweet with the classic chocolaty and herbal profile that is so common in the Caballero’s coffees.
Thanks for reading and as always, we hope you enjoy the coffees and learning from our monthly videos. If you need some brewing tips, visit our website.
Cheers,
Tim & Co