Coffee of the month: El Salvador Finca el Ingenio

This month's coffee is sourced from El Salvador, Central America.

Once a month we like to get in a new and exciting single origin coffee and give you a chance to try something different and to learn about how country of origin, bean varietals, the altitude they're grown at and the soil they're grown in affect the taste of each coffee. There are many contributing factors which influence the flavour of a coffee, these include climate, altitude and processing techniques (obviously these are a handful of the different variables which affect the taste and quality of the coffee, the list is endless...). 

What is especially interesting about this coffee is the unique ecosystem which supports the coffee plantations growth, it is situated in the rich volcanic soils of north west El Salvador.

Volcanic soil is especially fertile because of the breakdown of various minerals which release iron, magnesium, and potassium amongst other essential nutrients into the soil. All of these nutrients are essential to the growth of an abundant coffee plant. Soil quality plays an important role in nurturing the plant and producing the best possible crop. Many people consider soil that contains volcanic ash to have time-release capsule properties due to its ability to sustain a coffee plantation for many years, this creates some of the most nutrient-rich agricultural lands on earth.

Another factor which influences the taste of the coffee is the processing technique. The term ‘honey-processed’ refers to the amount of the coffee cherry removed from the bean before being left to dry, unlike washed coffee where the entire cherry is removed and natural coffee where the cherry is left on the bean, the honey process removes part of the cherry leaving the sticky mucilage layer surrounding the bean whilst it dries. This technique contributes to the intense sweetness of this bean and imparts a jammy mouthfeel with a nice rounded acidity.

Buy El Salvador