Tasting Notes: May 2020 Coffees

 Tasting Notes: May 2020 Coffees

The Barn Sloane Fathers Origin and Flying Horse Tasting Notes

After spending a number of years in Japan and the UK, Ralf Rueller founded The Barn back in 2010. He pioneered specialty coffee in an uncompromising way in Germany by focusing on the product, farm relationships, roasting and sharing knowledge that he leart along the way. This is what established their international reputation for quality and earned them the accolade for the best independent roaster in Europe and the Middle East. Oh and of course, what earned them a place in the prestigious GUSTATORY subscription packs...

The Barn Coffees  |  Germany

Coffee Information Notes Packages
Mahembe Mahembe is a truly exceptional coffee and it is a unique cornerstone in our Rwandan collection. We visit the farm each summer, and after six years, we have forged a strong relationship with Justin Musabiyama who runs the washing station.Through our mutual commitment we are allowed to be the first to select his highest scoring lot each harvest. This year Mahembe has flavour notes of sweet morello cherries, black tea, cola with supplementing chocolate undertones. These flavours balance out in the cup with a clean, lasting finish. Morello cherry, chocolate, black tea and cola. Various
La Maria Cauca is one of The Barn’s favourite coffee growing regions in Colombia. The Popayán plateau offers ideal coffee growing conditions: high altitudes, close proximity to the equator, and surrounding mountains to protect from the cool winds of the Pacific Ocean. This year, The Barn’s microlot from La Maria is well structured with a sweet and floral cup profile. Juicy notes of blackcurrant, dragon fruit and violet are brought together with a sparkling mouthfeel and a clean, lasting finish. Blackcurrant, violet and sparkling. Plus 87
Aramosa Natural The Barn’s newest low-caffeine coffee is a freshly harvested, natural Aramosa lot grown by Daterra in the Cerrado region. The varietal is a crossbreed of arabica and racemosa, containing only 0.7% of caffeine (regular Arabica beans contain 1.4 - 1.8%). The beautiful dried-in-fruit processing on this lot enhances the varietal’s characteristic floral and fruity notes. The cup profile is boosted with flavours of honey melon, praline, milk chocolate, brazil nut and mandarin. This coffee is exceptionally sweet with a creamy, almost buttery mouthfeel. Honey melon, praline and creamy. Various
Coocomau The Western Province of Rwanda borders on Lake Kivu, one of the Great Lakes in Africa. The high altitudes and volcanic soil define the landscape that have attracted an abundance of coffee farmers. Coocamu is a sweet, round-bodied coffee whose quality is intrinsically tied to that nutrient-rich earth. Fresh raspberry and strawberry notes bring sweetness and a tart, mouth-watering acidity to the cup. The berry flavours that dominate body are filled out with a creamy vanilla custard character and captivating floral undertones. Raspberry, vanilla and floral. Rest of World
Ivan Dos Santos The dos Santos family have set their roots in the mountain of Caconde, producing coffee for over 40 years now. The region is truly blessed – with natural water springs at the top of the mountain sustaining the beautiful area that The Barn team have been lucky enough to visit many times. You will be enjoying Ivan and Roses best lots this season: clean, full bodied flavours of chocolate, vanilla, currants and sticky dates. This cup is balanced and smooth. Chocolate and currant. Plus 87

Sloane are a micro-roastery based in Bucharest and are proudly contributing to Romania’s growing coffee scene, as well as the education of the population, through close relationships and open dialogue with their customers. Whilst they be may micro, the accolades of their people certainly aren’t - Sloane’s Head Roaster, Bogdan Georgescu, was roasting Vice Champion at the World Coffee Roasting Championships 2019 Taipei Edition. With his expertise and the owner, Teodora Pitis, a licensed Q Arabica Grader in charge of green buying, Sloane are constantly innovating and developing their range, which includes origins that are suitable for a wide range of brewing methods.

Sloane Coffees  |  Romania

Coffee Information Notes Packages
Guatemala La Montana Washed The name of Selvin’s farm, La Montaña, comes from its location on the hill of the green mountains of the village of El Pajal and El Coyegual. The climate at the farm is excellent for producing quality with high altitude and right amount of sunlight. Selvin Garcia is a fourth-generation coffee producer in San Antonio Huista in Huehuetenango region. Before the harvest Selvin makes sure all his equipment like the depulper are clean and ready for the harvest. Additionally he takes part in the post-harvest training workshops and educates his pickers to pick only the ripest cherries. The cherries are picked and depulped the same day, fermented with water for 36 hours and washed. Selvin’s coffee is soaked another 18 hours in clean water and eventually dried on patios in the sun for six days. Selvin makes sure his coffee is being separated and stored accordingly. Every day during the harvest he cleans his depulper, sacks, baskets and the patio.

“Our family has been growing coffee from generation to generation. From our grandparents to our children today everyone has been part of the love for growing coffee. I grew up learning about the production and was eventually given the administration of the farm”, Selvin explains.
Juicy, raspberry, tropical fruits with distinct mango and creme brulee. Plus 87
Rwanda Bumbogo Bumbogo Washing Station is located in the Gakenke district, an area known for high-quality coffee production in Rwanda. It is a highly competitive region, and home to several winning Cup of Excellence lots in recent years. In the CO2 decaffeination process, water soaked coffee beans are placed in a stainless steel container called the extraction vessel. The extractor is then sealed and liquid CO2 is forced into the coffee at pressures of 1,000 pounds per square inch to extract the caffeine. The CO2 acts as the solvent to dissolve and draw the caffeine from the coffee beans, leaving the larger-molecule flavour components behind. Caramel and butter, red blood orange and grapefruit. Decaf
El Salvador Area 51 Honey Area 51 is the newest plot of land that was bought jointly, between Aldo Parducci and his father, 4th and 5th generation coffee producers. The farm consists of 7 hectares situated at the top of the Cordillera del Balsamo mountain range at 1450 metres above sea level. When the farm was purchased, it was predominantly planted with Yellow Catuai and Cuzcatleco varietals and in much need of pruning and shade trees. Nowadays, it has been significantly revamped with Kenyan and Pacamara varietals and has been reforested with Balsamo trees, which are native to this area, but have become less and less predominant due to commercial harvesting.

The farm's focus is to become the most reputable farm of specialty coffee in the region through innovative farming and processing techniques, which in turn are driven by our dedication and passion as coffee farmers.
Chocolate Turkish Delight, red hot pepper jelly and acacia honey. Plus 87
Brazil Fazenda Primavera Following his father’s footsteps, producer Ricardo Tavares has dedicated his life to the coffee industry. Ricardo’s father began in the roasted coffee industry, delivering products to meet the demands of Brazil’s domestic coffee consumption. Ricardo began his own story in the world of coffee business at age 19, when he accompanied his father on a trip to northern Brazil. After returning from the rolling hills of coffee trees, Ricardo decided not to continue his career as an economist and, instead, dedicated himself entirely to the purchase and sale of coffee beans in the interior of Minas Gerais. It was always Ricardo’s dream to own and operate coffee farms, and, years after beginning work in coffee, he acquired Fazenda Primavera, which is the ultimate fulfilment of that goal.

Located in the municipality of Angelândia, Minas Gerais, the climate also provides favourable conditions for producing specialty coffee with average temperatures between 20 and 24 °C annually and precipitation of 1,000 to 1,300 mm. Primavera won first place at the Brazil 2018 Cup of Excellence and second place in 2019. In 2016, Brazil’s Globo Rural magazine named Fazenda Primavera the third most sustainable farm in Brazil. Leonardo Tavares, Primavera’s Agricultural Director, identifies the three core elements of the farm’s sustainability: water recycling for regenerative power, natural fertiliser from composted coffee pulp, and mahogany trees intercropped as shade.
Chocolate fudge, dates, strawberry, whipped cream and kiwi. Various

Based in the UK, over the last 15 years, Origin Coffee Roasters have been exploring coffee. Seeking new flavours, collaborators and lessons in the pursuit of an exceptional cup. Whilst what they do may have changed over the years, their approach remains the same. Ultimately, it’s about respect – for the people, the process, the coffee, the brewing. Origin simply focus on making the coffee the best it can be. We look forward to seeing them do this over the next 15 years.

Origin Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Information Notes Packages
Stronghold Stronghold is Origins celebration of the incredible coffees that they source from Brazil and the long-standing direct trade partners that they have developed there. The roast profile for Stronghold creates a darker, more traditional roast than their other blends.

Stronghold is Origins celebration of the incredible coffees that they source from Brazil and the long-standing direct trade partners that they have developed there. The roast profile for Stronghold creates a darker, more traditional roast than their other blends.
Dark chocolate, fudge and dark sugar. Various
Liza Lot 1 Decaf This coffee is decaffeinated using the all-natural carbonated water method. The coffee is submerged in warm pressurised water to open up the bean before carbon molecules are added, which bind with the caffeine. This incredible process doesn’t draw out any carbohydrates or proteins which are what give the coffee its flavour. The water and carbon are then removed and the coffee dried. The by-products are then recycled and the entire process takes place at CR3 in Germany.

Jean Paul Tunda is an individual constantly looking to improve and this is reflected in the coffee he produces. The Liza washed and natural proved to be such a great hit at the Roastery last year, that we’re delighted to have recently released a fresh crop and this mainstay decaf coffee. Displaying delicate notes of peach and rich, comforting flavours of dark chocolate and brown sugar in the cup.
Peach, dark chocolate and brown sugar. Decaf
San Fermin San Fermin is a lot built from dozens of small producers in south Tolima. Etched out of the mountains, situated in some of the most remote locations, each farm is only a few hectares. Farmers must cross rivers and trek through jungles before they can load dirt bikes and carts pulled by donkeys, to get the coffee to Origins partners local warehouse.

The producers of San Fermin are a key part of who Origin are, which is why thet have two ongoing projects that celebrate that relationship. Origins yearly producer competition recognises these truly exceptional lots. Additionally, they have committed to purchasing a drier with their local partners, Caravela. This will save the producers having to return the coffee all the way back to their farms if it still needs some further drying, saving them extra time and effort.
Orange sherbet, caramel and berries. Single Origin
Das Almas Celebrating the work of Virgulino Muniz, one of Origins trusted long-term partners in Brazil. His coffee is incredible. It has a consistent, distinct dark sugar sweetness and complex chocolate notes; A perfect showcase of Brazilian coffee.

Das Almas has been in Virgulino’s family since 1942 and visiting his farm is always a welcome experience. Located at 1,200 metres above sea level with mineral rich soil covering 109 hectares of rolling hills, Virgulino and his team are dedicated to environmental sustainability, with various projects currently underway. Including ecosystem preservation and raising awareness of this in the local community, along with support to a local children's care institution.

The coffee cherries are hand-picked and sun dried on raised beds or patios with their fruit fully intact. This enables the flavours of the pulp and sweetness of the mucilage to impart into the bean.
Chocolate, roasted peanut and apple. Single Origin
Illomba For years, Tanzania has been on Origins radar as an amazing coffee growing region. It’s a location with incredible terroir, potential and rapid development for producing unique speciality coffee.

Tanzania is the largest country in East Africa. The Mbeya region in the South West of the country sits at the base of Loleza Peak and is renowned for its ideal growing conditions. The rich volcanic soil coupled with the high volume of rain throughout its wet season, creates an environment where coffee trees can thrive. In Tanzania, each trade must be approved by the national governing board who ensure that the quality, price and contract are fair for buyers and sellers.

When Origin first visited the Illomba Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS) and tasted this coffee, they were immediately drawn to its sweet flavour profile. It showcases a cup full of floral tangerine notes, followed by the flavour of apple.
Tangerine, stewed apple and brown sugar. Plus 87

Father’s Coffee Roastery are based in Ostrava, Czech Republic, and are a small family business that have made a big dream come true – a family roasting powerhouse. Dad is roasting, mum is passionately tasting and growing kids are watching enthusiastically. All that passion and all that love as a family has produced coffees with character and authenticity. That being said, whilst these coffees have been produced as a family, we cant, however, ensure that you’ll want to share them as one. In any case, we hope you enjoy.

Fathers Coffees  |  Czech Republic

Coffee Information Notes Packages
Asprosi Colombia Francesco Javier Castillo has been working with coffee for many years and has been part of the Asprosi group since 2015. The land is part of his ancestry as he has indigenous roots associated with the land in this part of Cauca. With his wife Ana Rengifo, they work on their small farm, which is just 1.75 hectares in size with just over 1.45 hectares of that land being planted with coffee.

Asprosi are part of the Cooperative Cosurca, who have been working hard in the communities around the Popayan region. The Cooperative have several programs that have a real focus on empowering their members with education and training to help them prosper following conflict.

On the farm, coffee is panted amongst banana, mandarin, avocado, banana guamo and plantain trees, all of which help to provide shade. During the harvest from May to September the coffee is hand-picked in sections, with the pickers rotating around the farm every 8 days. The coffee is then pulped on the same day of collection. The coffee is then left to ferment for 12 – 16 hours in concrete tanks before then being washed and then dried in a parabolic drier for 7 – 10 days
Orange, apricot, walnut and caramel. Various
Rodriguez Family Bolivia Rodriguez’s coffee comes from their five farms in the Samaipata area and is processed using a dry method. Pedro Rodriguez has been working in the industry since 1986, which he orginally joined due to a passion for agriculture. He founded the family-owned company Agricafe, which grows and processes coffee from its own farms, but also produces micro-rolls with small farmers in the regions of Yungas and Santa Cruz.

For over 30 years, Agricafe has been helping local farmers and has introduced innovative and educational programs, as well modern agricultural practices, all of which has helped to improve coffee quality.
Caramelized nuts, cocoa beans, citrus and Baileys Plus 87
Eli Espinoza Natural Peru Naturally processed coffee from a young farmer Eli Espinoza from Peru is one of Fathers new coffee loves. With a beautifully balanced taste, full fruity body with tones of raspberries and yogurt, as well high sweetness, a floral aroma and a taste of hazelnut butter, you can really see why.

Eli Espinoza came to the area as a young teenager looking for work on coffee farms. He began to work as a skimmer. Soon he earned a piece of his own land with a house and began producing his coffee. Fast forward to today and this has grown to 4 hectares of land, which sits at an altitude of 1800 metres above sea level and predominantly produces the variety Typicca, although Caturra and Bourbon varieties also grow here.

Finally, all coffee processing is done in Eli’s house, which really adds to the authenticity. Over the last few years, he also began experimenting with natural coffee processing. After successful results that improved his coffee scores and brought new, more diverse flavours, he has now also invested in a large solar dryer.
Raspberries, yogurt and hazelnut cream. Plus 87

Founded in 2017, Flying Horse is an independent coffee roastery built on the owners, Phillip and Jack’s, passion for all things coffee. With an independent coffee roastery and espresso bar in Mare Street Market, London, which is a great Hackney hub of everything creative and delicious, as well their flagship coffee shop in the Television Centre at the BBC studios in White City, Flying Horse are building something unique. Fortunately for you though, a trip down to Mare Street Market or the Television Centre isn’t required… although definitely worth a visit.

Flying Horse Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Information Notes Packages
SW Decaf Swiss Water Process uses the elements of water, temperature and time to create some of the most intriguing decaf coffee. First introduced in 1979, this was the only commercial method using non-solvents and has quickly become one of the most popular methods of decaffeination. In this process, the coffee beans are soaked in caffeine-free green coffee extract, allowing the caffeine to be extracted from the bean and into the solution while the flavor components are retained in the beans. The now caffeine-saturated green coffee extract is then processed through activated charcoal to fully remove the caffeine, thus becoming caffeine-free again and ready to extract caffeine from a new batch of coffee. The coffee beans are then dried to their originating moisture level and re-bagged. The Swiss Water Process results in coffee that is 99.9% caffeine free. Dark chocolate, maple syrup and pecan. Decaf
Peru El Gallito Flying Horse’s current filter coffee has been sourced from the northern region of Cajamarca in Peru, close to where the Rio Canchis splits its country with Ecuador. This micro-lot of coffee was named El Gallito de las Rocas, also known as cock-of-the-rock, after a widely regarded national bird of Peru was found across many of the higher altitude coffee producing areas. The farms are located in the buffer zones of a protected natural area and have many diverse species of animals within their borders, which means many farmers are now working with an organic methodology and certification. Through these standards, a culture of protection of the wildlife and species in danger of extinction has developed and is now considered a priority.

This particular lot was one that farmers were encouraged to experiment with further, in an effort to create a higher scoring, more elegant and fruitier cup profile (and boy did it work). Sourcing coffee this way means each member of the cooperative has the chance to be part of the programme, which means they receive a higher premium for their coffee. Rewarding small producers for quality coffee, provides them with the necessary incentives to ensure they continue to produce and fine tune their processes to achieve the best possible cup.
Red apple, nectarine and caramel. Various
Guatemala Cuchumatan Huehuetenango is a municipality in the western highlands of Guatemala, running up to the border with Mexico and runs alongside the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. Cuchumatan itself translates as ‘to bring together with force’. With the help of Fedecocagua, a secondary cooperative formed of 148 primary cooperatives.

Primary co-operatives typically form to help provide access to agronomists, wet processing facilities, seedlings and microfinance support. Above them, are secondary cooperatives that work together to provide dry-milling facilities, greater quality control and the all-important access to a global customer base. Cuchumatan is an example of these cooperatives working well together, coffee from the highest altitudes is collected together to create a balanced characteristic coffee.
Cherry, sticky toffee and chocolate. Various
Espresso Blend Flying Horse’s seasonally changing blend showcases coffee from some of the best producers in the world. Meticulous quality tests are taken to present a balanced and versatile cup. The ideal choice for someone seeking a coffee full of flavour, non offensive and an all-round crowd pleaser. Balanced, chocolate and biscuit. Various

GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.

GUSTATORY Curation TeamMay 01, 2020