Description
This is a unique coffee and available in very limited quantities. I was able to grab one 30kg bag (66 pounds) and that’ll be it. I can’t get any more. This is a super-fun bean with very unusual flavors. I roasted very light and got strawberry, cherry, black tea and honey. The importers noted Dried Banana, Strawberry, Vanilla Ice Cream, Amaretto – I presume they roasted a little darker than I did to get those notes. The initial aroma was vegetal with a hint of mint (but the mint didn’t come through in the cup.) It’s got a creamy light body. it’s smooth and it’s complex. When it cooled, I tasted some tobacco notes. I feel like this is a good coffee to experiment with different roast profiles and levels – something I admittedly don’t do very often. But if I do, I’ll post updated tasting notes.
The team at Juanachute continues to innovate, and this lot from La Pastora is another example of their willingness to try new things. The Juanachute micromill was one of the first of its kind. Luis Anastasio Castro, better known as Tacho, was an early adopter of the micromill model and many others have learned from his efforts. The Juanachute operation consists of several different plots throughout the Los Santos region and a mill close to the town of San Pablo de Leon Cortes. At the micromill, the entire process is controlled. From planting the coffee trees to sealing the jute bags of green coffee beans, it is all under the supervision of Don Tacho.
The Castro family also owns a small roastery and coffee shop in the town of San Pablo. One of Tacho’s sons, Luis Anastasio (named after his father), is responsible for launching the barista education program in the local high school with 30 graduates each year. Luis Anatasio also competes in the Costa Rica barista championship proudly serving coffee from Juanachute.
Don Tacho is proud of his farms, his mill, and the final coffee products and takes the greatest care in maintaining all three. This year marks the third year he and his family have put in the extra effort to find direct connections with buyers. Tacho’s other son, Abraham, works at our exporting partner CECA and has been able to forge relationships in key markets. The mill produces many different types of coffee separated by plot and process. We are delighted to continue our partnership with Juanachute and bring in more microlots from their different farm lots processed in different ways.
Anaerobic Natural processing consists of sealing freshly harvested coffee cherries in a tank without oxygen for a controlled fermentation. Coffee then continues the Natural process of drying in its pulp to absorb the fruit’s sugars.
