This is the perfect coffee for those of you who don’t want the bitterness of darker roasts but also don’t want a particularly fruit-forward flavor profile. Alex Aguilar and his family take great care in the production of their coffee, including taking the time to very slowly dry the coffee after washing. And you can taste the effort in the cup - we pick up notes of toffee, nougat, chocolate, and pear. Honestly, what more could you ask for from a medium roast? If you’re not a fan of the bitterness of darker roasts, but also don’t want a particularly fruit-forward flavor profile, Finca Los Angeles may be just what you’re looking for! It’s creamy and smooth, dominated by classic notes of toffee, nougat, chocolate, and pear. Finca Los Angeles is located in the community of San José de los Andes in Las Vegas, Santa Bárbara, Honduras, and is run by Alex Aguilar. He is a coffee producer by tradition and an important part of Beneficio San Vicente’s specialty coffee program. The farm is approximately 2.4 Ha and sits at an elevation of 1,554 m.a.s.l, where he grows Bourbon, Pacas, and IHCAFE90 varieties. Alex learned the coffee trade from his father and is now passing down the knowledge to his children. His process starts by handpicking and selecting the ripest cherries and then floating and de-pulping them that same afternoon. It is then fermented for between 12-18 hours, washed, and placed to dry on African beds. Depending on the weather, the drying process lasts from 16 to 21 days, really reaffirming the Honduran terroir. Alex Aguilar and his family are living examples of the Coffee Growing Tradition in this region. His father worked his entire life in coffee production and passed down all his knowledge as his legacy. Alex then went on to inherit his father’s farm, and since he has been in touch with coffee from an early age, it all came naturally to him. Tradition is important to this family, and so they are all involved in the farm. They help pick, process, dry, and everything in between. We discovered Alex’s farm thanks to Beneficio San Vicente and their Specialty Coffee Program initiative, which started years ago. We resonated with Beneficio San Vicente and their model of transparency and have decided to work with them to help grow Specialty Coffee in Honduras! Photos courtesy of The Coffee Quest