El Salvador El Angel Cuscatleco & Anacafe Natural

El Salvador El Angel Cuscatleco & Anacafe Natural Region: Chalatenango Municipality: Auchapan Farm: El Angel Farm Size: 7 Hectares Coffee Variety: Cuscatleco & Anacafe 14 (Sarchimor & Catimor related) Altitude: 1,550 Mast Harvest: December-April Drying: Raised Beds Process: Natural Tasting notes: Chocolate-Caramel-Tropical Fruits SCA CUP SCORING : 87   El Salvador El Angel El Angel is a small coffee plot that is on top of a mountain that is 1,500 meters high. The farm is at the top of the property and is usually foggy due to the altitude. El Angel has been family-owned for 25 years. The farm is currently run by Carlos and Gerardo Mendez who are the second generation to work the farm. Carlos and Gerardo have a passion for coffee, their focus has been on quality and sustainability, constantly improving their processes and quality of their coffees. Carlos and Gerardo have had multiple Cup of Excellence winning coffees, every year they have coffees that are put forward as they consisitley produce high scoring coffees which is a credit to the work they and their team put in. El Angel is located in the Apaneca region of El Salvador. The farm was acquired around 2002 and has since specialized in the production of high-quality Natural Coffees. This year they produced a Natural Yellow Pacamara that placed in 4th in the Cup of Excellence cupping 89pts. There is a variety of wildlife in the area and you can see a large number of birds that you can almost touch from there. Coffee production in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec mountain range, where the farm is located, began in the mid-19th century. This region is known for its rich volcanic soil and diverse microclimates, which produce a variety of unique coffee flavors. As a rule, shade-grown coffee is cultivated here, growing under a canopy of various tree species. This protects the plants from direct sunlight and allows for slow growth, resulting in more complex flavors in the beans. Most coffee plantations in El Salvador, including those in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region, use the wet processing method, where the coffee cherry pulp and skin are removed before the beans are fermented for up to 48 hours and then dried. This method is known for its clean and vibrant flavors.