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A Taste of El Salvador you won’t forget: El Principito has arrived
All the way from the Santa Ana Volcano region in El Salvador, this single estate coffee bean, cultivated by the Alvarez Diaz brothers, is now available at Vicky Coffee.
WHY IS THIS COFFEE SO RICH IN FLAVOUR?
Coffee plants require a variety of nutrients to grow, which is why the young, volcanic, and nutrient-rich soil at the plantation on the slope of the volcano makes for the perfect spot to grow Red Bourbon beans.
Not just that, but volcanic soil is also incredibly light and fluffy allowing for better infiltration. Beside the soil, the shade provided by the volcano and trees allows the cherries to ripen more slowly. It is the high altitude of 1,350 – 1,450 metres and microclimate that allow this coffee to thrive and develop characteristics and complex notes that we coffee lovers seek to flavour in our cup.
WHAT IS BOURBON?
Besides the excellent growing conditions, family Alvarez Diaz is committed to develop sustainable practices in their harvesting and processing processes. Their plantation is cultivated with a Red Bourbon variety called Kenya SL28 that was first discovered in Kenya. These coffee beans are a variety of a high quality bean, commonly known as Arabica. Whilst having nothing to do with the alcoholic beverage, the bourbon variety is considered a high-quality choice in the coffee specialty community.
MICROLOT – EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY
Our El Principito is a Microlot certified coffee, meaning that that the fruits come from a small segment of trees on the farm that are deemed to have significant quality. In this case, the cultivation results in large beans with a green leaf tip colour, holding exceptional quality when grown at high altitudes, according to the World Coffee Research organisation.
THE PROCESS BEHIND IT ALL
The Bourbon variety goes through a washing process, which consists of four (4) steps.
Step 1 Sorting
First, the coffee cherries are compiled and put into floating water to sort out the ripe and unripe cherries. The ripe ones are the ones we are after, as these sink to the bottom, whilst the unripe fruits float on the top.
Step 2 Pulping
The next step is to remove the pulp or the skin of the cherry.
The ripe cherries are transferred into a de-pulping machine, where the outer parts are removed so that the seeds, our coffee beans can surface.
Step 3 Fermentation
The beans are now diverted through a channel into a large
water tank. If any of the beans are floating on top of the water, they will be
removed. The remaining high quality beans now rest in the water tank for 24 hours.
This process allows microorganisms in the beans to release enzymes that break
down the mucilage, which is a pasty substance responsible for the delicious
flavour of coffee.
Step 4 Drying
After the fermentation process, the beans are removed from the
water tanks to be left to dry.
HOW DOES WASHED COFFEE TASTE?
Well, washed coffee is known for its clarity. It allows you to taste all the vibrant notes and distinct flavours of the origin and variety of the bean, this is mainly due to the removal of the cherry before drying.
Our El Principito entices with a very floral body, adding subtle notes of Jasmine and a Plum sweetness, noticeable in the after taste.
Want to try it for yourself? El Principito is available as a one time purchase, or as part of our subscription plans.
