Tall beans catch a lot of wind

Blog Image
September 19, 2022

Strictly High Grown coffee

The taste of coffee is determined by many variables in the roasting process, but a lot happens in the step before that. Geography, for example, is very important. The country of origin as well as its location is a huge determinant of a great taste. In addition, one also looks at the altitude. If you want to know more about this, read the whole story on our blog page.

High = hard

Beans grown at high altitudes are much harder than beans grown at lower altitudes. This is due to the "thin" air, which makes the beans grow more slowly. This allows them to take in more vitamins and minerals. In addition, they are limited in water absorption by the rapid drainage of rainwater on the mountain. This makes the berries fatter and even more concentrated in flavor. The coffee plant literally has to work very hard to take in the available moisture that is in the environment.  This is why beans, which hang higher, are better hardened than beans from lower slopes.

High on flavor

Of course, altitude remains relative and it is certainly not said that the tastiest coffee comes exclusively from the very highest mountains, but when we look at different coffees, we still see that; the higher we get the more intense and complex the flavors. We can roughly distinguish 4 categories and state that coffee grown

- below 2,000 feet (762 meters): are soft, mild, simple and bland

- around 3,000 feet (914 meters) will be sweet and smooth

- around 4,000 feet (~ 1,200 meters) may have citrus, vanilla, chocolate or nutty notes

- above 5,000 feet (~ 1,500 meters) may be spicy, floral or fruity

When coffee is grown above 1,200 feet (commonly, people keep the 1,350-foot limit), it may be referred to as "Strictly High Grown." In the coffee world, this is considered the very highest quality coffee available.

Quest

As coffee lovers reading the above beautiful story, our coffee hearts always beat faster. So we knew for sure: we want a real Strictly High Grown coffee in our assortment. After several tasting sessions, we finally chose a coffee with a very clear name: Highlands Gold. This is not just any coffee. This coffee is made from 100% Arabica beans from the highest slopes in Mexico and Honduras, UTZ certified and provided with the quality standard "Strictly High Grown". In short: everything we were looking for.

As soon as you open the beautiful tin, the aromas of chocolate and mocha come to meet you. After brewing and the tentative first sip, you immediately notice that the balance between all the flavors is perfect. Where the coffee immediately gives its dark chocolate and mocha notes, this is followed by a slight freshness and immediately turns into clean and delicious sweet caramel notes. The long smooth aftertaste again features hazelnut and chocolate aromas with even hints of nice spices like bay leaf and licorice.

The nice body adds to these notes and throughout the coffee taste journey that pleasant "creamy" mouthfeel is present. Wonderful as an espresso with many layers, depth and complexity. And as a base for a cappuccino or caffé latte extremely suitable to serve as a true "bonbon".

Comments

No comments found

Write a comment