Notes: Raw cacao nibs, S'mores, Hazelnut
Roast: Dark
Origin: Vietnam
Region: Dalat
Varietal: Catimor (Arabica)
Farm: Various small farmers
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1,400 - 1,500 masl
Grade: SHG
Weight: 12oz
Vietnam is mostly known for their Robusta- very little Arabica is grown here even though it is the second-largest coffee producer in the world. The average farm size in Vietnam is very small, averaging 1-3 hectares. However, these small farms have great productivity compared to average coffee farms in Central America. To add additional value at the farm level, particular focus is put on quality. This starts with picking only ripe coffee cherries, ensuring speedy delivery to the mill and getting a higher premium paid for red cherry. Coffee growers in Vietnam have typically strip picked the plants when the C market is favorable, so incentivizing growers to pick only ripe cherries can be a challenge. However, the benefits of only picking red cherries can be seen when comparing the weight of ripe vs. unripe cherry and if there is a premium offered on the extra effort.
We chose to roast this particular bean dark because this varietal (Catimor) as well as its naturally lower acidity and strictly high grown grade means that it is able to take on heat very well. As a result, it offers big, bold chocolate and nutty flavor notes that dark roast lovers enjoy without requiring over-roasting, nor does it have the bitter bite of Robusta. In the end, it's a familiar, delicious, yet specialty-grade dark roast coffee.