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.

Mexico Pluma Real Loxicha Estate

Coffee production in Mexico is deeply traditional, in which the fruit pulp is stripped from the coffee seed and the coffee is washed & sun-dried. Of all the micro-lots I've sampled from south of the border, this Organic Mexican Pluma Real from Loxicha Estate is tremendously satisfying. Sharing a border with the Huehuetenango, Guatemala, coffees from the southern regions of Mexico present a number of similarities. In general, one can expect Mexican coffee to be lighter-bodied and mild-mannered, with subtle sweetness and a stunning bouquet of lively aromas.

The dry grounds have an expected hazelnut aroma, but it's much more dry and spicy than I'd imagined. Adding hot water lifts up smells of baking spices and unrefined sugar; this coffee drinks just like eating a gourmet spiced chocolate. Cinnamon toast, fresh oats, and burned sugar dominate, with that nutty accent on the palate. What I think I love the most is the unexpected difference between the dry fragrance and brewed flavors. There's the aroma of a light-brown toast & fresh-cut hay, but the flavor of unsweetened Mexican chocolate with a dry caramel & molasses finish. This is clean, snappy, easy sipping coffee. Enjoy!