José Flores El Salvador Natural

Blind Assessment: A deep sweetness and considerable complexity resonate impressively inside a bitter-savory structure. Hints of blueberry and guava, spearmint, cocoa, rose, a hint of clove in aroma and cup. Fully, syrupy mouthfeel. Flavor carries persuasively into a rich though bittersweet finish.

Notes:  This coffee tied for the fourth-highest rating in a tasting of El Salvador coffees for Coffee Review’s August 2019 tasting report. Produced from trees of the much admired, bold-bean Pacamara variety of Arabica, a cross between the giant-beaned Maragogipe variety and Pacas, a selection of the heirloom Bourbon, by José Flores at his farm El Trompillo. Processed by the natural method, meaning the beans were dried inside the fruit rather than after the fruit has been removed, as is the case with wet-processed or “washed” coffees. A prize winner in the 2019 Chalatenango Best Cup competition organized by importer Cafe Imports designed to promote quality practices among local producers. Duluth Coffee is a cafe and wholesale specialty roaster founded in 2012 in downtown Duluth, Minnesota by Eric Faust. Visit www.duluthcoffeecompany.com for further information.  

The Bottom Line: Almost two coffees, one dominated by a bracing bitter-leaning structure, the other sweet and complexly aromatic. Enjoy it for its paradox and its particularly syrupy mouthfeel.