Brazil Fazenda Aurea Serra do Slaitre

In my experience, Brazilian coffees have been a little easy to overlook. The reason for this, of course, is because Brazil produces more coffee than any other country in the world. That being said, coffee remains the second-most traded commodity in the world, and the specialty coffee market in Brazil has been growing quickly in the high plains region of Serra do Salitre. This estate-grown Brazilian Fazenda Aurea is a semi-washed arabica that delivers a milk-chocolate creaminess and lush, velvety textures. This is an exceptionally well-balanced varietal, and I'm very pleased to be roasting it for you.

Small-farm coffees from Brazil are known for their nuttiness and mild acidity. Expect deep roasty flavors that lean towards caramelized sugar and bittersweet chocolate. The first thing that I noticed when the first roast came out of the drum, was that these beans smelled exactly like warm, freshly-baked chocolate brownies. The dry grounds have a distinctly malty aroma. There's also a hint of sweet vanilla pipe tobacco, like walking into a humidor. In the cup, there's the flavor of confectioner's chocolate and the burned sugarcane taste, like the singed sugar crust of a fresh crème brûlée.

 

This cup is smooth and delicious, with notes of almond and caramel that serve to round-out the flavors. This is a delightful brew with a soft and appealing profile, great depth, and controlled flavors that reveal perfect cherry selection and meticulous milling practices.

Nicaragua Dipilto Nueva Segovia & Brazilian Fazenda Auerea

Nicaragua Dipilto Nueva Segovia

This coffee is really unusual in its mild, even-handed profile. Most of the specialty coffees from Nicaragua are typically categorized as a "classic" cup possessing a medium body, clean flavors, and extreme balance. Your Nicaraguan Dipilto de Nueva Segovia is a real crowd-pleaser if I ever tasted one, but that doesn't mean it's boring. In fact, it's filled with bright, flavorful nuances that make it incredibly easy to enjoy.

The dry fragrance reminds of a honey-nut cereal with qualities that point toward shaved cedar, toasted nuts, and semi-sweet chocolate with an exuberant proliferation of forest herbs. The wet aroma reminds me of freshly cut white cedar with a peculiar hint of terra-cotta. This cup is exceptionally clean with a crisp acidity and a brusque, malty, salted-caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. It's a restrained cup with an elegant mouth-feel and subtle flavor notes that any coffee-lover should taste.

Received 05/31/2013

Roast Color: Medium
Prep: Washed, Euro-prep
Body: Medium, balanced body
Flavor Profile: Mild and balanced
Cupping Notes: Exceptionally clean with a crisp acidity and a brusque, malty, salted-caramel sweetness in the aftertaste. A restrained cup with an elegant mouth-feel and subtle flavor notes.

Brazilian Fazenda Auerea


Specialty coffees from Brazil are becoming harder to find, especially as larger commercial operations expand in the country. Truly unusual heirloom varietals can still be found in Brazil, however, and the Brazilian Fazenda Aurea is an incredible find. If you like a strong, clean cup of coffee with a hint of ripened cherry, then this is exactly what you want.

Discover a beautiful complexity in the dry fragrance of cocoa powder, raw honey and bittersweet chocolate. This coffee favors a darker roast. Add hot water and more sweetness emerges along with hazelnut and a wonderful, classic chocolate taste, allowing for slightest bit of nuanced fruit to reveal itself. This works well for espresso and also makes for a pleasantly strong, well-balanced cup of coffee with an extraordinarily long finish.

Received 06/04/2013

Roast Color: Medium-to-Dark Roast Color
Prep: Wet-Process, Washed-Mild, Sun-Dried
Body: Smooth, Heavy-Bodied
Flavor Profile: Bright, Balanced Acidity, Caramel
Cupping Notes: The dry fragrance is undeniably nutty, with a sweetness aligned with dark berries and forest herbs. This is an unusual lot from South America, yielding a velvety body and flavors that hint at the more dark or robust.