Cole's Choice
The coffee at Rosso has always been about community and sharing coffee is something we love doing. Coffee has an amazing ability to tell a story of growth and of passion. A story not just about the coffee's journey, but of their producers and partners as well. In any given year, there will be a handful of thought provoking, expressive coffees that can't make it to our main menu due to price or availability. Cole's Choice will be a limited run of these special coffees. However, once a bean is gone, we will have to find another special coffee to take its place!
It is no secret that we drink a lot of coffee, but there are some coffees that stop us in our tracks. Generally, cost will be the limiting factor that stops these coffees from reaching our menus. Cole's Choice will feature these coffees at cost, a new model called "break even beans". The Coffees in this program have their own stories to tell. Some will be of unfamiliar varietals, others have experimental processing methods and sometimes even our competition coffees will make an appearance as well!
cole's current choice
| Laurina | |
| Region: | Trujillo |
| Origin: | Colombia |
| Farm(ers): |
Don Rigoberto Herrera Correa Granja La Esperanza |
| Varietal: | Laurina |
| Process: | Natural |
| Flavour notes: | Cherry Candy, Green Apple, Ripe Watermelon |
| Body: | Velvety |
This time I'm excited to share a truly unique coffee experience. You have in your hands a variety of coffee that is naturally low in caffeine, but not low in flavor. It is known as Laurina!
The aroma of this coffee is soft and makes me think of peaches lightly drizzled with a homemade caramel sauce. On first sip the coffee may bring to mind cherry candy. The acidity is light and vibrant, highlighting the aforementioned candied note. As the coffee cools it takes the shape of green apple and ripe watermelon, reminding me of a summer picnic. The overall experience is underlined by a velvety texture.
These sweet and intricate flavors are largely due to the care Rigoberto and Luis Eduardo Herrera took when naturally processing this Laurina on their farm, La Esperanza, in Colombia. This crop was harvested when the fruit was a purple colour, which signifies a peak concentration of sugar, and taken to silos to dehydrate for 48 hours. Following this, they were laid in raised beds, under solar dryers, for 15 days.
The brothers chose to cultivate a wide swath of coffee varieties, some of which you have already seen on the Rosso roster, namely their washed field blend and a natural processed Mandela. The Laurina variety, or 'pointed Bourbon' (named for its teardrop shaped seeds), is naturally low in caffeine content. While not as low as the 99% decaffeinated coffees, such as those from Swiss Water Decaf, the variety has around 20-50% the caffeine content of other Arabica varieties.
Low caffeine varieties, like Laurina, are an opportunity to enjoy the best that specialty coffee has to offer, without worrying about the jitters. I hope you enjoy this delicious cup from La Esperanza in Colombia