El Salvador Quezaltepeque Finca La Esperanza

The Belismelis-Alvarez family has been cultivating coffee continuously in El Salvador for six generations ever since Don Emilio Belismelis first began growing coffee in the department of Santa Ana in the mid 1800’s. This intriguing natural comes to us from the family’s La Esperanza farm in the La Libertad department that spans the border of El Boqueron National Park on the lower slopes of the San Salvador volcano where the park’s natural canopy and biological diversity interact with volcanic substrate to produce an enviably nutrient rich environment in which coffee trees thrive.

After sun-drying on patios and milling at San Miguel in Ahuachapán, the daily pickings of the coffee from La Esperanza are cupped and evaluated to find the combination of lots that when blended best achieve the fruit forward but viscous and balanced profile that makes this coffee so distinctive.

When poured, the wet aroma releases a soft floral note like red rose petal, but the interplay of sweet and tangy is ultimately this coffee’s calling card. Ripe strawberry pops out of the cup on first sip, tempered by a mild tartness that together conjures strawberry-rhubarb or perhaps a Flanders Red Ale, like the famous Duchesse de Bourgogne.

The medium body of the cup feels juicy, even syrupy, with its roundness allowing the mildly tart acidity to come across as a refreshing contrast to the sweeter fruit aromas rather than sharp or bracing. The finish leaves a pleasant coating on the palate like that from a hard candy.

Fans of the strawberry shortcake character of our recent Uganda White Nile coffee will find much to enjoy in La Esperanza, while its additional piquant effect should offer an interesting twist and added dimension.

El Salvador La Esperanza

Farmer:  Belismelis-Alvarez Family

Region:  Quezaltepeque, La Libertad Department

Elevation:  3300 – 4800 feet

Process:  natural, sun-dried on patio

Tasting Notes:  strawberry-rhubarb, rose petal, hard candy