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George Howell Coffee Company

La Esmeralda Mario Carnaval 2012 Panama

Blind Assessment: Delicate but lush; piercingly sweet. Honey, jasmine-like flowers, tangelo-like citrus, hints of chocolate and fresh-cut fir in aroma and cup. Lyric, flower-saturated acidity; full but lively mouthfeel. The tangelo note in particular resonates inside immense sweetness in the finish.

Notes: This exceptional coffee was selected as the #9 coffee in the Coffee Review Top 30 Coffees of 2013. Coffee from trees of the botanical variety "Gesha" or "Geisha" grown on farmer Price Peterson's Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama has consistently broken records paid for a green coffee. With its long, boat-shaped beans and distinctive floral and chocolate cup, the Esmeralda Panama Gesha continues one of the world's most unique coffees. "Mario" refers to the area of the farm in which the coffee was grown, and "Carnaval" the time of year when this particular lot was harvested, relatively early during February of last year, thus associating it with pre-Lenten Carnaval festivities. This coffee is Rainforest Alliance certified, meaning it was produced following sustainable ecological and socio-economic criteria developed by the Sustainable Agricultural Network, a coalition of independent, environment-focused non-governmental organizations. Terroir is a microroaster focusing on elite single-origin coffees. It was a pioneer in the revival of medium roast styles designed to foreground the character of the green coffee. Terroir is the creation of George Howell, one of the world's leading coffee visionaries. Visit www.terroircoffee.com or call 866-444-5282 for more information.

Who Should Drink It : The rare and marvelous Gesha at its most characteristic: startlingly distinctive flavor and a complete and flawless structure.