From Brazil, El Salvador, India, Colombia, Sumatra, Honduras and Mexico, here are the coffees we are currently roasting. From nutty to fruity and everything in between, all are freshly roasted with care to entice the best flavours out of those lovely beans. We try and source organic and fairly-traded as much as possible and you can get full descriptions of the producers from the links below.
*** We are in the process of updating all our coffee information, but it takes a little time. Therefore you can find our complete updated coffee selection in the webshop, but maybe not everything is listed in detail on this page here! But it's coming, we promise! ***
India: Monsooned Malabar AA
Varietal: Red Catucai. 600-800m altitude. Natural processed monsoon.
Tasting notes: Big, bold and nutty. A huge bearhug in a mug. Medium/dark roast
A great nutty monsooned coffee with big mouthfeel. Woody notes (in a really good way! Described approvingly as being like "a great old mahogany door") and a long, roasted finish. "Monsooned" coffees are the loveable rogues of the arabica world and this really doesn't disappoint. Would make a great campfire coffee for all the outdoor-lovers amongst you, and a fantastic oak-filled espresso for the people who can't see the point in a coffee which tastes of citrus....
(Organic) Sumatra: Koperasi Pertanian
Varietal: Catimore, Typica, Sigaratu. Semi-washed.
Tasting notes: Cocoa, tobacco and a dash of orange. Dark roast.
Indonesian coffees are always very interesting, and this one fits in well. Full bodied, dark earthy flavours and some fuity tang combine for a mouth-filling coffee. If you liked the monsoon malabar then this is maybe up your street. Or at least round the corner....
Organic and Fairtrade.
(Organic) Colombia: Finca Cocondo
Varietal: Castillio, Colombia, Tabi & Caturra. 1450-1600m. Fully washed, shade dried.
Tasting notes: Smooth buttery chocolate, long finish.
The only organically certified farm in Antioquia, run by Luis Emilio Velez, is located in an incredibly beautiful valley near Titiribi. The farm is managed as self-sufficiently as possible and the owner is also the local doctor. A strong commitment to bio-diversity and permaculture lies behind the entire farm, and it has been so successful that he has plans to expand further. This is coffee that is really cared for. Elegant, smooth and a rich lingering aftertaste, particularly recommended for cafetiere and smooth espresso coffees. Develops excellent additional flavours with milk. Organic, direct trade.
Read more about the Cocondo estate here
Mexico: Guadalupe Zaju
Varietal: Caturra, Marsellesa, Hybrids. 900-1400m. Fully washed.
Tasting notes: Mellow, nutty with a hint of apple
Run by Teddy Esteve (who says he "grew up in the cupping room"), this farm in the Chiapas region of Mexico is flourishing thanks to the efforts of its owners. Though not organically certified, they try to minimise the use of pesticides by planting with selected tree species proven to reduce disease in the surrounding coffee crop. Careful management of shade (the farm is Rainforest Alliance certified, amongst other things) and extremely efficient water management further help to reduce the environmental impact. Expert assistance in harvesting and re-stocking keeps the quality of the coffee extremely high and the farm is one of the most productive in the region. Direct trade, Rainforest Alliance.
Read more about the Zaju estate here
Visit the webshop for some Mexican coffee
(Organic) Brazil - Fazenda Santa Maria **Decaffeinated**
Varietal: Mondo Novo. Natural process. 1050m altitude. CO2 decaff.
Tasting notes: really nutty, hazelnut and bakers' chocolate. A well-balanced cup. Medium-dark roast.
A completely organic farm producing 5000 bags (70kg per bag) each season. That's a lot of chemicals not going into the ground! In addition they are certified by the Brasilian Institute IBD which requires, amongst other things, a commitment to biodiversity, manual weed control and preservation of native species. This is a decaffeinated coffee using the CO2 process, which involves using liquified CO2 gas to remove the caffeine from the beans. This means that the coffee is only in contact with inert natural substances during the decaffeination process. "Conventional" decaffeination involves using chemical solvents such as methylene chloride and ethyl acetate. Indeed. The CO2 process (in common with the Swiss Water process) helps to preserve the flavour of the coffee without soaking it in chemicals.
Nutty and dark chocolate flavours. And a good night's sleep! Organic, direct trade.
Want to know more about Fazenda Santa Maria? Read the full description of the estate.
Sounds good to you? Go to the webshop
(Organic) Uganda: White Nile
Varietals: SL14 & Catimor. 1450-1800m. Fully washed.
Tasting notes: Light, fresh peach and lemon, very clean finish. Medium/light roast
From the Kawacom Paidha Sustainable Project, this coffee has been roasted more lightly to preserve the clean flavours, and is best suited to filter/pour-over methods. The Kawacom project, in addition to promoting high quality organic, UTZ and Rainforest Alliance coffees, also has very strong social programmes ranging from financial education to HIV/AIDS awareness. Environmental projects also include installing rainwater harvesting tanks and energy efficient stoves in farmers' homes.
Read more about the coffee and the Kawacom Project here
Visit the webshop for some Ugandan goodness
Blends: Interesting and delicious combinations of beans, these suit everything from filter coffee down to the little taste explosions we call espresso. Much like with people, when you mix different origins together you get some lovely results!
Espresso blend: A blend of beans from the Brasilian Speciality Coffee Association, with a portion of beans from Guatemala's Santa Sofia estate to add a little more depth. Nutty, smooth and balanced, works well both as a straight espresso shot or combined with milk.
Organic Blend #2: A blend of organic beans from Honduras (Finca Fiallos estate) and Colombia. Dark, fruity and with a sweet finish from the Honduran beans make this a blend which works for filter, cafetière and stovetop.
Organic Dark Espresso Blend: Dark, smooth, chocolate with a nutty finish, this is a current favourite. Finca Cocondo Colombian beans with a dash of India robusta for added depth. Great enjoyed on its own, but equally good with milk which brings out a little extra dark fruitiness. Gives a fantastic crema if you're lucky enough to have your own espresso machine....
A note about the roasting: we roast to get what we hope are the best and richest flavours from the coffees. The varieties we have so far are mainly suited (we like to think) to a medium/dark roast. With these varieties we find that it allows the full range of flavour to come through without destroying the inherent taste but also keeping the acidity in balance. In the next shipment we hope to get some other varieties which will really extend the range (for example some nice Ethiopian or Rwandan beans to keep the light-roast fans happy perhaps. And maybe a nice dark Sumatran variety at the other end. And even (shhhhhh.......) some decaff.) But if you have a really strong preference for a different treatment (for example, still smoking when you open the bag) then get in touch, and we'll see what we can come up with. If you have a cafe or other business where coffee plays a big part, perhaps we could even create a unique blend for you - any excuse to play with coffee is always fun....