La Suiza

Washed, also referred to as wet process, is a method of processing coffee that utilizes water to transport, sort and remove the fleshy layers of fruit that house coffee seeds. Traditionally, this process occurs in a wet mill where the outer fruit skin of the coffee is removed (pulped), floated in water to sort out defective beans, moved to a water tank to breakdown mucilage layer (fermentation) and then washed to remove residual fruit from the seed.

La Suiza farm harvests their coffee with particular care and selection. Coffee is processed under strict quality control within their own processing facility located on the San Carlos farm. The farm holds specific standards for fermentation and the drying process of their coffee offerings and speaks for itself within the cleanliness of the cup. This particular farm provides three cultivars; bourbon, pacamara and catimor. The coffee is shade grown in an effort to provide a sustainable ecosystem, as well as, an annual cycle to replant trees.

The farm was inherited in the 70’s by Carlos Menéndez from his parents, Dolores Salazar and Carlos Menéndez, who acquired the land in 1952. The parents established both land and community development by providing jobs to locals and aid with the construction of a school and church. The son, focused his efforts in the fields, producing one of the most productive farms in the Santa Ana volcano. In 1986, the heritage of this coffee farm was sustained by the wife of Carlos, Julia Margarita Molina Martinez and her sons. Since 2005, the farm has been overseen by one of her sons, JuanFrancisco. We are very excited and pleased to present another coffee offering from this award winning farm.

Bourbon is a cultivar of the Coffea Arabica species and is known to be named after the island in which it was first cultivated by the French. The origin island inhabits the Indian ocean, east of Madagascar and has since been renamed Réunion. France integrated the bourbon cultivar within the agriculture of Africa and Latin America. It is now known tobe among the most popular cultivars next to Typica. It is reported that the bourbon cultivar yields more cherries thanTypica. However, the cherries tend to be relatively smaller in size and can mature into various colors such as red, yellow and orange. There are several other sub types of bourbon including Tekisic, Jackson, Arusha and Kenya SL. Bourbon are notorious for remarkable cup characteristics, most notably, complex acidity and balance.

Pacamara is a cultivar unique to El Salavador. It is reported that the cultivar originated there in 1958. Although the cultivar has spread to neighboring central american regions, it is predominantly grown within El Salvador. Pacamara tends to be relatively large beans that yield a spectrum of flavors from fruity, herbal or chocolate notes to unfavorable vegetal characteristics. 

Catimor is a cultivar hybrid of Caturra and Timor. Different strains of catimor have been created in an effort to curb coffee berry disease and rust. Consequently, resistance to disease and rust is the prevailing benefit of this cultivar.

This coffee was sourced in partnership with Mercanta, a group of specialty coffee merchants dedicated to the sourcing, education and story of unique, quality coffees and take particular interest in the farmers who produce them.The information provided for each farm are often provided by Mercanta in addition to our personal cupping notes. “Cup characteristics” may also be provided by a collection of jury cupping notes from large competitions, such as the Cup of Excellence award.