El Salvador
Apaneca
Tasting Notes:
Hazelnut • Plum • Milk Chocolate
From £9.00
Intensity:
Rating:
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.
With a thick, creamy body and notes of toasted nuts, what's not to love? Bosque Lya is an easy-drinking coffee, which stands up well to milk, but can hold its own black.
EL SALVADOR - BOSQUE LYA
18g coffee in, 36g out. Extracted over 27(±3) seconds.
1:16 ratio, steeped for 4 minutes, then left to settle. No plunger needed!
Joe Melina at Finca Bosque Lya is a bit of a legend in the coffee scene, and we've been lucky enough to have been hosted by him when we visited in 2018. The quality of his coffee is rivalled only by the quality of his hospitality!
We're glad to be able to do the coffee of Finca Bosque Lya justice, and are super proud of the Great Taste Award it gained in 2020.
Bosque Lya coffee offers a delightful flavour profile with tasting notes of hazelnut, plum, and milk chocolate. This medium-intensity coffee has a smooth and balanced body, making it an ideal choice for those who appreciate a complex yet approachable cup.
Bosque Lya coffee is sourced from Santa Ana in El Salvador. The farm's location offers spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and volcanoes, including the dramatic El Chingo Volcano.
While both Bosque Lya and Apaneca coffees share similar flavour notes of hazelnut, plum, and milk chocolate and are both from El Salvador, the key difference lies in their origin. Bosque Lya comes from the Santa Ana region. The farm's elevation and unique ecosystem contribute to the distinct flavour profile of the coffee.
Whereas Apaneca coffee is grown in the Cordillera Apaneca, a mountain range in Western El Salvador. The fertile foothills of this range provide ideal growing conditions for the bourbon varietal, with a different terroir that influences its overall flavour and character. Despite similar tasting notes, the geographical differences between the two regions create subtle nuances in their coffee profiles.
Bosque Lya coffee is an award-winning coffee, having earned a prestigious 1-star rating at the Great Taste Awards for four years in a row. This recognition highlights the exceptional quality and craftsmanship behind the coffee, making it a top choice for coffee connoisseurs who value both flavour and provenance.
The Bosque Lya farm is unique not only for its high-quality coffee production but also for its commitment to environmental preservation. With 64 hectares dedicated to coffee production and the rest preserved as natural rainforest, the farm is a haven for wildlife, including rare birds, wild cats, and armadillos. The use of shade trees throughout the farm further enhances biodiversity, blending the coffee-growing area seamlessly with the surrounding forest.
Bosque Lya coffee has a medium roast intensity, perfectly balancing the natural flavours of hazelnut, plum, and milk chocolate. This roast level allows the coffee's unique characteristics to shine without overpowering its subtle sweetness and smooth finish.
To get the best flavour out of Bosque Lya coffee, we recommend brewing it using a pour-over method, such as V60 or Chemex, which highlights its complex flavours and aromas. Alternatively, it also works beautifully in a French press or drip coffee maker. Use fresh coffee, with a medium grind size, and adjust the brewing time according to your preferred method to extract the full range of flavours.
We love how the world of coffee changes with the seasons. If you like this, take a look at some of our suggestions here - you might just find your new favourite.
El Salvador
Tasting Notes:
Hazelnut • Plum • Milk Chocolate
From £9.00
Intensity:
Rating:
Tasting Notes:
Dark Chocolate • Malt • Treacle
From £10.25
Intensity:
Rating:
Tasting Notes:
Chocolate • Hazelnut • Caramel
From £8.75
Intensity:
Rating:
Everyone's setup is unique, but here are some good starting points.