Published October 2007
Over the next few months, we'll be roasting two complex, exhilarating Cup of Excellence coffees: La Unión from Costa Rica and La Virgen from Nicaragua. An international jury cupped these coffees. So did we. Now it's your turn.
Top Dollar for Farmers
The Cup of Excellence award brings record crop prices to farmers. María Elena Camacho Morales and family (right), growers of the exceptional La Unión harvest, earned 2 times the Fair Trade rate. The thousands of extra dollars positively impact the sustainability of their business and community.
Top Coffee For You
The Cup of Excellence award fetches good prices for coffee growers, but it's not charity. Above all it's an award for quality.
La Unión impressed us with its intense flavor and clean acidity. It is woody and bright, with notes of apricot and sweet cinnamon. We left the cupping table thinking happy thoughts of fresh-baked snickerdoodle cookies.
La Unión performs beautifully when extracted through the simple means of a French press. It's ideal for brewing at home or the office. We're offering 1-pound bags of La Unión for home brewing. We're also serving La Unión at our cafes in presses that you take right to your table. Fun and fresh!
Small Farms Big Market
Winning harvests sell on a web auction that attracts intense competition. Through the power of the internet, family farms are linked to artisanal coffee lovers around the world. You know your growers. You know who they are and where they live. And they're rewarded for cultivating extraordinary coffee.
About the Farm
On a mountain-side with a magnificent view of the Central Valley, La Unión has belonged to the family of Maria Elena Camacho Morales for more than 50 years. Just one year ago, the family decided to re-dedicate themselves to the farm and its crop, betting for quality. The family built their own mill to guarantee proper treatment of the beans throughout the entire process. More about La Unión:
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Farmer
- María Elena Camacho Morales
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City
- San Rafael
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Region
- Heredia
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Country
- Costa Rica
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Farm Size
- 52 acres
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Coffee growing area
- 20 acres
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Altitude
- 5085 feet
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Variety
- Caturra, Catuai
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Processing System
- Semi-washed
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Lot Size
- 25 bags
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International Jury Descriptions
- chocolate, complex aromatics, very clean, caramel, crisp, berries, jasmine, syrupy, lemony, black berries, rose aroma
Camacho Morales says that winning the Cup of Excellence award made her remember — "with much joy and satisfaction" — the efforts of her family through five generations of coffee farming.