El Salvador - Bosque Lya

This is a 96-hectare farm - 64 of which are under coffee, the balance being left as a natural rainforest. However, in many parts of the farm, it is difficult to recognise what is pure forest and what isn’t, since so many shade trees are used. There is an abundance of wildlife including birds such as hummingbirds, orioles and hawks and many migratory species. Mammals include wild cats, armadillos, deer and possum.

There are endless beautiful flowers including colourful rare orchids and epiphytes that grow on the branches of the trees. The views from this farm are jaw-dropping with the mountains and volcanoes of west El Salvador and Guatemala beyond, dominating the picture. The towering El Chingo Volcano takes centre stage in this dramatic scene. 

This is the archetypal Salvadorian coffee - nutty, creamy and moreish. Not to mention, it's amazingly versatile! Give it a go as a knockout espresso, or as a comforting cup of filter coffee. It's no wonder it won a Great Taste Award in 2020, with the judges praising its "mellow, nutty sweetness".

Ripe coffee cherries are picked, and sorted to remove any defects. They then pass through a depulper, where the flesh of the cherry is removed, leaving behind a sticky mucilage layer. Next, the beans are fermented, and the mucilage layer breaks down, leaving a clean coffee bean behind. The beans are then carefully dried, resulting in a clean-tasting coffee with natural sweetness and complexity.