El Sendoro, Andres Martinez (Colombia, Semi-Washed)

THE DETAILS
Country: Colombia
Producer: Andres Martinez
Farm: El Sendoro
Varietal: Caturra
Process: Semi-Washed + Beer Yeast Inoculation
Notes: Earl Grey, Melon, Honey

About

Andres Martinez began his career at Tecnicafé, an institute in Cauca dedicated to coffee research and innovation, where he worked for a year. Later, he joined Finca El Paraíso, a farm recognized in the specialty coffee industry, where he worked with Diego Samuel Bermúdez, a well-known coffee grower. At this farm, Andrés was in charge of soil studies and process standardization.

He has since branched out on his own, coming to own two farms in Cauca. His previous experience and expertise in biochemical engineering has ensured that his processing of coffees is done with emasculate attention to detail and high precision control.

This particular coffee is an exciting one, showcasing Martinez’ skills as a producer. Cherries are hand-picked at peak ripeness, where they are fermented in beer yeast for 48-hours. Thereafter, the seeds are de-pulped and then fermented for a further 24 hours, highlighting this coffee’s floral characters. The seeds are then dried on raised beds for 12-18 days to achieve desired moisture content. 

In the cup we taste pronounced notes of Earl Grey, melon, and honey. 

Jeremy's Notes

One of the things that I love about coffee, and the wide range of flavor notes out there, is the unexpected moment of tasting coffee and having that experience invoke memories. Indeed, our olfactory cortex - where smells and taste are processed - is close to our amygdala and hippocampus that help process primary emotional experiences and memories respectively. Memory, then, is a powerful medium of experiencing coffee, something that Andres Martinez’ coffee plays with powerfully. 

Up front is a very clear and distinct aroma and flavor of Earl Grey tea; it’s undeniable there, and because it stands out so prominently, it not only is easy to identify but it also invokes strong memories of drinking Earl Grey tea on cold, gloomy mornings in Cape Town. For whatever reason, Earl Grey tea seems to me a tea perfect for reading a long book with; it’s complex, and comforting at the same time. In this particular instance I’m reminded of the month it took me to read through Abraham Verghese’s ‘Cutting for Stone’ - a beautiful and powerful novel that I highly recommend. 

Not only is this coffee one that triggers memories, it is itself memorable. This is our second release of it, and mostly in part to receiving a few messages about whether or not the ‘Early Grey’ coffee will be available again. It was our fastest selling coffee at the time, and one that is very much back by popular demand.