Women’s Coffee is a single-origin from the Finca La Esperanza farm, grown, harvested and processed by a very special plantation, part of the IWCA, the International Women’s Coffee Alliance.
Find out more, watch the video below!
Everywhere, more and more women are becoming an essential part of the process, occupying positions of power and revolutionising the world of coffee.
The IWCA is a global network that unites and supports the resourcefulness of millions of women around the world, operating in more than 23 countries.
Women producers in El Salvador were virtually invisible before the 2000s despite representing 35% of the production force. Therefore, IWCA’s intensive programme of activities is helping to make women more visible and respected in the country. People are now starting to pay attention with the aim of improving the conditions and lifestyle of working women.
The Esperanza Women’s Coffee of El Salvador grows at an altitude of about 1350 m above sea level. The plantation offers a great botanical diversity and the coffee plants grow amidst other indigenous plants of the mountains, such as eucalyptus and cedar, as well as the presence of many wild animals that find shelter in the forest, contributing to the biodiversity of the area.
It is cultivated and harvested with great care by the women of the region, and then processed using the washed method. This will bring greater freshness during extraction, as well as giving a complex and elegant aromatic range to the drink.
It is a coffee with a complex and intriguing aroma, fully reflecting a feminine and sensual profile.
It presents sweet notes of apricot, milk chocolate and pineapple, which are then balanced by a soft and pleasant malic acidity. Balancing this are more intense notes of dried fruits, especially nuts.
In espresso, we recommend a dose of about 8.5 g per person, to be able to fully enhance the aromatic intensity, together with a velvety body.
Suitable for
Those looking for a fresh, aromatic and sweet single-origin, as well as socio-sustainable
Data sheet
Aromatic notes
Apricot, nuts, pineapple and milk chocolate
Intensity
6,5/10
Body
6/9
Sweetness
8/9
Bitterness
1,5/9
Acidity
7/9
Aroma intensity
8/9
Toasting
Medium
Origin
El Salvador
Location
Chachoeira El Salvador, cantone Las Cruces, Chalchuapa in Santa Ana, Brazil
Altitude
1350m asl
Type of crop
Picking
Type of processing
Washed
Varieties
Arabica, Red bourbon
Expert evaluation
83/100
Thanks to medium roasting, the carefully selected raw coffee bean can express itself to the fullest, releasing every natural aroma and never being overly bitter. Try it even without sugar, it will be amazing!
The coffee is stored inside a sealed bag, self-protected with a one-way valve, which allows the coffee to degas, without letting in oxygen, which would oxidize it. This makes it possible to keep the coffee beans fresh and aromatic even after several months.
Notes for the 250g bean package:
Roasted coffee beans
Packaged in food grade nitrogen protective atmosphere with one-way valve
250 gr net weight and
Notes for 250g ground package:
Coffee roasted in beans and then grounded
Packaged in food grade nitrogen protective atmosphere with one-way valve
250 gr net weight and
Coffee History
Today we travel to El Salvador, a small Central American state overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where coffee has fuelled the country’s economy and shaped the course of its history for more than a century.
It is a slice of land covering 21,000 square metres, with a population of 7 million. The official language is Spanish and the currency the Colon. This small country produces only natural or washed Arabica coffee. Flowering takes place between April and May, and the harvest between October and March.
Arrival of coffee in El Salvador
Like other Central American states, coffee arrived around 1800 by Spanish colonisers, constituting 50% of Salvadoran export revenues by 1970.
It was so focused on expanding coffee production that the government even began to favour it through legislation such as tax relief, exemption from military service and the elimination of export duties for farmers.
However, due to the political-economic instability caused by a persistent civil war situation, the coffee industry fought to remain one of the most prolific sectors in the state, although it still had to see a decline in exports in the 2000s.
Coffee-growing areas
In El Salvador, most plantations are located in shaded areas and protected as national forest heritage.
The government has also set very strict parameters to define its Gourmet coffees, benefiting only those growers who are truly committed to creating a great product at every stage, from planting, harvesting, processing and selling. The Gourmet label therefore adds great value to exporting to the international market.
IWCA certification
This El Salvador, selected by Paolo and Andrea, the roasters of Caffè Ernani, is not just a quality coffee, but also falls under the IWCA, the International Women’s Coffee Alliance.
The beans come from Finca La Esperanza in Las Crucess, in the municipality of Chalchuapa.
The coffee trees are grown in the shade of ingas and other native mountain trees such as eucalyptus and cedar. The forest also serves as a home for different types of plants and animals, contributing to the biodiversity of the area.
This coffee is grown and selected by the women of the region. Women producers in El Salvador were practically invisible before the 2000s despite representing 35% of the production force. Thus, the IWCA’s intensive programme of activities is helping to make women more visible and respected in the country.
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Other coffee-growing areas are:
Apaneca – Llamatepec, in the north-west was the first Salvadoran coffee-growing region including the Santa Ana Volcano, from which very high quality coffee is produced;
Aloptepec – Metapan, the country’s wettest area, on the border with Honduras and Guatemala, from which a distinctly acidic and rich coffee is produced;
El Balsamo – Quezaltepeque, the region overlooking the capital;
Chicontepec is the area where the coffee plant is planted alternating with orange trees, giving the coffee these flowery scents and a slight citric acidity;
Cacahuatique is the area famous for its clay-rich soil, which gives the beans sweet and floral reflexes;
Tecapa – Chinameca finally is the least known region but one that produces very complex and fine cups.
In general, Salvadoran coffees are characterised by good sweetness, body and balanced acidity.
While tasting a cup of El Salvador, I can perceive the aromatic notes of fruit and imagine myself inside a plantation where the coffee plants live in harmony with other colourful flowering trees, surrounded by wild animals tending the land. In short, a riot of colours for the eyes and lively scents for the nose.
Our Women’s Coffee Esperanza, Specialty Coffee, from El Salvador is excellent in every extraction: from espresso to mocha to filter coffees for percolation and infusion.
Find out how best to prepare it with all the tools here.
