Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Galapagos

I received some new coffee to try the other day from my main man at Imperial Teas of Lincoln. I had decided to order some lighter, more complex beans as I occasionally like to sip a more acidic, brighter brew in the afternoons. So, the recommendation was Galapagos Cristobel. The following is from the website, http://www.imperialteas.co.uk/

"466. Galapagos Cristobal Island £6.70per 125g. This rare and unusual coffee of superb quality is, naturally, grown without the use of chemicals. The plantation was founded in 1875 and planted with the old bourbon bean. San Cristobal, which has an abundance of fresh water, also has a unique microclimate and the required altitude to produce a rich flavoured, full bodied coffee balanced by a sweet acidity. In the early nineties the Gonzalez family revived the island’s Hacienda El Cafetal, which had been abandoned for many years. With further expansion of this plantation forbidden because of the archipelago’s great natural importance production of this coffee will never amount to more than 2000 bags a year. With three different sea currents - the Humboldt, El Nino and the Crownel having a profound effect on the climate, crop sizes are usually only around 500. "

I can tell you that despite a penchant for high roast, this bean is splendid. Fruity, acidic, a long, long drawn and satisfying aftertaste which I find unusual for the lighter roast beans. Seriously refreshing and an excelleaccompanimentent to a good read on the sofa.

Recommendo.

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