El Salvador Montecarlos Peaberry

Blind Assessment: Sweet, low-toned, deep, to turn metaphorical, a quiet, smiling, radiant coffee. In the aroma caramel and peach-toned fruit. The peach notes carry into the cup, joined by exhilarating suggestions of flowers and a hint of chocolate. The chocolate turns more explicit in the fine, rich finish.

Notes: A prize winner in the 2004 El Salvador Cup of Excellence competition, where as a green (unroasted) coffee it placed seventh out of hundreds of entries, attracting a score of slightly under 90 from an international jury. An unusual coffee in two respects: It was produced from trees of the large-beaned Pacamara variety of arabica and is composed entirely of the peaberry grade of that variety. Peaberries result when the coffee fruit develops only a single, oval bean rather than the usual pair of flat-sided beans. Peaberries produce a somewhat different (often better) cup than normal beans from the same crop, from which they may or may not be separated during grading. Grown at an elevation of approximately 5,300 feet on the Montecarlos Tablon Crater farm. Stumptown Coffee is a small-batch premium roasting company that wholesales its coffees as well as serves them in French press format in its three Portland cafýs. Under the youthful and enthusiastic leadership of Duane Sorenson, Stumptown has become a leading buyer and supporter of Cup of Excellence coffees. Visit www.stumptowncoffee.com or call 503-230-7797 for more info.

Who Should Drink It : Those who are never ashamed to smile.