For many of those who have spent some time in Japan during its summer time, cicada song is one of the elements that are synonym to this blazing hot season.
In Japan people distinguish different types of cicada by listening to their songs, and some say that it's a rare custom- in different songs people hear and appreciate the transition of time and the season. Japanese language and its rich vocabulary in onomatopoeia may have the country's blessed natural environment to thank for.
There are many more ways to enjoy seasons, and for that, we'd like to share with you about this refreshing coffee perfect for some heat-beating and soul-cleansing this summer.
Colombia Lisandro Quilcue
This summer, we are in love with Colombia Lisandro Quilcue.
- Roast level: Light
- Process: Fully washed
- Variety: Variedad Colombia
- Cup comment: Floral aroma, taste of orange, citrus sudachi and green tea, caramel-like sweetness and accompanying aftertaste.
Along with Brazil, Colombia is one of the most significant coffee producers in Central and South America. Colombia is also known for its established washed process with its history dates back before the third wave movement.
Fun fact: the very first specialty coffee our head roaster Takuya has ever had was a washed Colombian Caturra roasted by Fuglen- and his love for Colombian coffee started there.
About Guayabal Estate
LIsandro Quilcue san is a coffee producer at Guayabal Estate located in the south of Tolima, Colombia. The farm was passed on by his father, and it has been feeding the family for over 62 years. Lisandro-san learned coffee production from early age, and now he is a proud leader of the family business, including his 5 sons.
This is our second time to purchase Lisandro-san's coffee for Kurasu. Just like the last year's crop, Lisandro-san borrowed an African bed from his neighbor, Raul-san, to substitute their own African bed they lost to a landslide after a heavy rain 2 years ago. The importer, SYU・HA・RI san expressed his support and purchased the crop, but even in such difficult situation, Lisandro-san managed to produce this beautiful coffee.
"Lisandro Flavor"
Variedad Colombia used for this year's crop is a Caturra hybrid. The family tree includes Castillo among others, which explains why this year's crop reminds us of it so much.
It's green and fresh, but has a well-balanced sweetness and acidity reminiscent of citrus fruits and a herb-like flavor. We are also getting green tea-like "Japanese-ness" in the cup- it's difficult to put into words, but there is something special about Lisandro-san's coffeeand the cup fills us with a refreshing but sweet nostalgia.
"Roaster Friendly" Green Beans
Lisandro-san's coffee also appeals to our roaster's practical side- his green beans have a well-controlled, low moisture content, which makes the temperature control during the roasting process easy. Also, His coffee is very compatible with our roasting machine, Loring- Loring's machine utilises convection heat, and the beautiful flavor of Lisandro-san's coffee gets fully expressed through a thorough heat radiation.
How much sweetness can be taken out of Lisandro-san's beans bursting with clear and bright acidity is up to the roaster. The final cup maintains the brightness of the acidity, while adding more balance to it.
A Refreshing Summer Sip That Quenches Your Thirst
This coffee tastes good as hot, but we urge you to try ice brew- it enhances the brightness of the cup. Brewing with AeroPress is another one of our favorite and it makes a very juicy cup.
If you ask us what to pair with this coffee, we'd recommend either nothing, or some fruits, rather than heavy cakes, to simply enjoy the refreshing cup.
The ideal setup we'd picture in our mind is sitting outside on a bench, listening to cicadas singing and looking over those big columns of summer clouds- nothing makes summer better than that.
Check out Colombia Lisandro Quilcue HERE
