In what will be the first of many we’re sure, we’re pleased to say we’ve got our hands on a Cup of Excellence® coffee from 2009’s El Salvador competition.From the farm of Jose Guillermo Alvarez on the slopes of the Santa Ana Volcano, Finca Malacara’s COE lot is full of stone fruits and molasses with a distinctly chewy mouthfeel, a nice citrus/apricot acidity and a dark chocolate finish. This one’s a real killer and will only be available for a short while as quantities are extremely limited. Come in for a hand poured Chemex or take home some whole beans as a special Holiday treat or gift!
If you’ve never heard of the Cup of Excellence (COE) program it’s a great idea that began in Columbia about 10 years ago. In a nutshell, the COE is a competition of sorts in producing countries. Individual farmers submit lots of their most special coffees to their country’s COE committee. These coffees, several hundred lots typically, then enter a rigorous 5 stage selection process that culminates with an international jury of the finest cuppers (i.e. tasters) on the planet assigning the ultimate list of “winners”. It varies from country to country and year to year but usually there are about 2 dozen coffees in any given competition that are awarded the Cup of Excellence designation. At this point, roasters and importers from around the world vie for these special coffees via an online auction.
We could go on and on about the virtues of the system and the benefits that everyone involved, from the farmer to the you, the coffee drinker get out of this. Instead, we’d just love to have you over for a cup and we can talk about it some more down at the Rail.
For further information check out CupofExcellence.org
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