Direct-trade coffee from the farm of Luis Merchan in Planadas, Tolima, brought to us by the Las Mingas program. The Las Mingas program is run by Virmax, and connects buyers directly with hand-picked micro- and nano-lots from individual farms. Samples are milled and sent while the coffee is still in parchment, and approved samples are immediately milled and vacuum packed. Pricing is based on the BUYER's cupping score, and the farmer is rewarded with pricing well above fair trade values. This lot is about 2.5 standard bags (roughly ~170kg), and the price paid to the farmer greatly exceeds what ever fair trade price the farmer could have gotten.
Cupping Notes: Exceptional from start to finish. Fragrance and aroma were complex, with sweet graham and floral notes and toasted grain and malt hints. Graham, malt, and floral held together by caramel, honey and toffee sweetness. Excellent interplay of the aromatic, sweet, and deeper caramel notes, held together by a Meyer lemon citric acidity (almost effervescent). Medium weight, but rich, round and chewy body, outstanding balance (acidity--body, hot to cold), just a wonderful cup. I sat down after cupping this with my glass and drained it down to the grounds.
